Children of the Gods
by detrametal
Summary: The Nightmare Guard is roaming the streets of Dio's Cradle. Powerful enough to worry the Titans and the Justice League they also hide secrets into the nature of the Metahumans. Many were worried that they would be villains since the Justice League's rules only angered them. But with the exile of Beast Boy seven years ago, Raven and Deadpool on the Guard things will not be peaceful.
1. The Guard

**For those of you actually interested in the Author's note…not many but I'll take what I can get I'd like to take care of a few things, first as a disclaimer for the entire story I do not own Teen Titans nor any other copyrighted characters, places, ect. Next I would like to ask anyone who reads this story a few questions, if you would leave a review I will send you a PM regarding this story, I'd like as much feedback as possible. And while I know a vast majority are waiting for me to update**_** Alone I stand, Together I shatter**_**, I regret to inform you it may be awhile my Grandfather passed away and too many plans are up in the air. Finally I'd like to thank Lunahras for giving me a great many ideas (too many actually) and OMG Pterodactyles and Broconi for bettaing this story for me…I promise this will the longest A/N of this story…everything else is free game.**

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><p>The creature that crawled out of the hole that suddenly appeared in the ground could by no means be called human. The people around it simply didn't know what it was. It was vaguely <em>human-shaped<em>… vaguely…ish. But as for what it really was nobody could tell. It fixed it's eyes on them. All twenty-nine of them. Four eyes traced each side with the final one sitting vertically between the four pairs and extended to the very tip of the nose, this format was repeated three times with another elongated eye sitting between each set. The eyes went completely down the face and could only do so with no mouth on it's face. And no ears, seeing as how a set of eyes took the sides of it's face as well. The only thing on it's head that wasn't covered with eyes was the back where long jungle green hair hung in a loose ponytail.

But that was only the head of this strange creature, it's body was covered by a long flowing brown wrap the only opened where it stood by some hidden means and where it's hundreds of arms stuck out from it's multitude of shoulders that traced up and down it's sides each with a single human shaped hand that ended in either perfectly manicured blunt nails or a meat hook excuse for a talon.

Each group took a step back as it clapped every set of hands together at once, a near sonic boom that blasted even Superman off his feet and flat on his back. Suddenly each of their minds were filled with uncountable voices of every conceivable age, gender, language and inflection.

One voice, a gravely, deep, rich female voice "Stop it, they aren't used to Mungu Kusema" and suddenly the voices were gone. Though no other audible sound was heard they assumed the creature continued talking as the familiar voice spoke again "Well then you're just going to have to speak in a human voice"

Raven stood before them, a few years seemed to have made a difference to the Titan, she was taller, had longer hair and many males in the room huffed as they realized a set of loose dark blue cargo pants had been added to her usual uniform. She was surrounded by three girls that none of the other heroes recognized. The first was fourteen year old dressed in sooty black, a loose long sleeve leather jacket and matching jeans with steel toe boots and bright blue hair more at recognizable as the shade of blue an intense fire would have and marvelously matching eyes that bore into each of them with unadulterated hate she turned to Raven and the other two before growling out in a seductively deep voice "Let's get Capt'n set up for the big change" she turned to face the creature before her voice took on a soft tone "The quicker you change the faster we can get some food and aspirin into you" and she held out a hand and two of the creatures gently cupped hers before she led it to a room that Raven pointed out, the two others followed her in before the Goth closed the door.

Raven looked at the other guests and lifted one elegant brow, every hero who's name she knew was here. And her own group who consisted of the Creature, the three girls and… "Wade, if you don't get out here this second he's not going to be happy"

The former merc walked out head down "Hey Ravie…can we see him?" this was punctuated by weapons, energy beams and a multitude of other things being pointed at him. He countered with a cheery "Hey Guys! Batsy! I didn't know you were here!" and he suddenly appeared behind the bat and poked the grim defender's cheek.

The Flash covered his face with his hands and sobbed quietly "God hates us"

Raven cleared her throat and Deadpool immediately hopped to her side with a goofy grin and an almost girlish giggle. Suddenly his happiness faded "Where's the boss?"

"Changing back, Calypso, Surt and Artio are with him"

The merc sighed in relief while Superman blinked hard and stared "You brought, an immortal demigod who can never leave her island, the Fire Giant who destroyed the world and the Celtic bear goddess here?"

The Merc with a Mouth shot out two fingers to the Man of Steel and beamed "ISH!"

A girl walked out of the small side room, she was probably twelve and she had on a black cloak similar to Raven's but her short cut dark hair and pale skin made sure she wouldn't be mistaken for the other, her eyes were covered by a veil of mist that seemed to cling to her no matter how she turned her voice was very soft and pleasant "Raven, he's changed back…"

Raven nodded before looking at Wade "Get him some food and do it fast…" he nodded and raced off before planting into a wall.

This time it was Aquaman who covered his face, this time before muttering "Why us?"

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><p>In the room pain, unholy pain painted his body. And suddenly it was gone and in it's place the void. An emptiness that he never wanted to experience. But the gentle clack of someone setting down a tray caught his attention and he nodded his thanks to the red and black who nodded and placed a caring hand over his forehead as his commander blinked away the blood that flooded his eyes.<p>

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><p>Outside the final girl appeared, roughly sixteen, she had a green Celtic cross made of ivy tattooed on her left cheek that was large enough to cover almost the entire area and blazing red hair with freckled tanned skin that accentuated her brilliant green eyes, her dark brown leather gloves that were hidden under a matching jacket with fur lining the top, open so that the white shirt could be seen and her skin tight gray pants blended perfectly into her boots. She stalked out with perfect confidence and spoke to the second in command of the team in a boyish tone "Capt'n wansta talk to ya" she said with an Irish accent. Quite a few of the younger male heroes sighed as she turned around and the cheeky smile she threw over her shoulder had them melting.<p>

Batman looked over at the new Robin who had a dumbstruck expression on his face before looking at this newest girl and rubbing his eyes and looking hopelessly at the Green Lantern who shrugged.

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><p>Raven entered the room to see him finishing the meal that constituted a snack after that draining form, he looked up at her with a haggard face "Is it time?" she nodded and swiftly held him up on one side as Deadpool got the other and Calypso got the door, Surt and Artio physically moved those who wouldn't move on their own out of the way and off the couch.<p>

When Nightwing refused to move things nearly got out of hand, Surt's hands blazed with a pure white flame and her hair started to float up as her sclera turned red and the rest of her eye transformed into a blazing fire, Artio hunched her back and growled deep in her chest she lifted her hand to swipe at the insolent man as the dark blue form of a bear's arm surrounded her own. One word diffused the situation "Stop," the second one brought them to his side "please" suddenly the two girls that were about to kill the hero darted to help the man that was only walking by the grace of the two people holding him up.

The leader of the Titans chuckled "Why don't you just carry him? It'd be faster that 'walking'" he air quoted.

The barrel of a Nuthals 220S appeared in the hand of the merc not holding up his boss "Say something like that again and I'll see how far _you_ heal" he growled, the three girls growled in agreement.

Raven looked at her old friend "Nightwing, please move, he's exhausted and we came after fighting for hours."

Shocked that _Raven _was asking he complied and for the first time took a look at the man that was sitting on the couch.

The leader of the newest group looked at the A-list members, The Justice League's Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Flash, Aquaman, Superman and Batman, though the last brought the new Robin with him. All of Titans East was there as was Starfire, Cyborg, Nightwing, and Jinx, there were a multitude of other heroes there but they stayed back, allowing the others to handle things if they got out of control especially with the half-demon daughter of Trigon and the Unkillable and irritating Mercenary. Somewhere deep, deep, _deep_ inside him smiled at the thought before he faced the group and took a deep breath.

Deadpool, not seeing him get ready to speak stood up and announced "BOW DOWN YE MORTALS BEFORE THE AWESOME MIGHT OF KIKAO!" and he threw his hands into the air like an idiot. The trio was caught laughing at their friend and Raven shook her head with an amused smirk.

Cyborg blinked his human eye "Wanderer?"

The merc shrugged and crossed his arms "Eh, things sound cooler when nobody knows what they mean"

But Batman cut in as he studied the Wanderer "Who are you?" and her certainly looked the part, around him was a light brown, dusty hooded cloak, even from where he was the detective could see his chest heaving with exertion, to be honest it worried him, this new leader hadn't even shown up for five seconds before throwing everyone on their ass and later reappears near passing out.

"I'm somebody who's reliving some very…intense moments of my life at the current" the detective noticed how Raven and Deadpool both stayed remarkably close and when the latter waltzed off for a second the half-demon sat down close enough for her thigh to touch the man, his musings were cut off as a voice cut through the thicket "Robin, if you touch Artio's ass I will have your arm" said appendage of said boy was held up in a surrender pose.

The girl in question laughed before she said with loving sarcasm "Thanks Dad"

Robin's now very pale face turned to him "A-are you her dad?"

With a light chuckle he responded "Heavens no! I'm too young to have a sixteen year old!"

Raven caressed his cheek "Don't play with them any longer, they wanted to find out about us" she said in an almost perfectly apathetic voice, but those that knew her could have told you that there was an nigh impossible warmth in those words.

The hood was allowed to fall back and before them was someone they hadn't expected to see since he was kicked off the team seven years ago "Beast Boy?"

Deadpool sobbed "Why does nobody listen to a word I say?" Surt patted his shoulder fondly

He looked tired-bags underneath his jade eyes marked that but other than the age, he now had a hardness to him that the others saw in his eyes. "I went by that name once" but there was a certain venom that came out

Wonder Woman blinked "We asked all the groups of heroes to be here…and since the Doom Patrol is currently on a high priority mission I'll ask you to formally introduce your group" she said it rather kindly all things considered.

Still sitting he nodded and the youngest girl stepped forward "My name is Calypso, I specialize in confusion and disorientation spells" she whispered before she backed up.

Surt stepped forward with a grin "Surt, I have dominion over fire"

Aquaman asked "What's dominion?"

She smiled "Absolute control." in her hands a small ember went to a great blaze before returning to nothing "No fire can hurt me and I can use any fire…even if it's waiting" and suddenly the stove let out a gout of flame that should have burned the ceiling tiles but didn't even blacken the surface.

The woman in the fur-lined jacket stepped forward "The name's Artio, powers are the same as the goddess, power over wild animals, bears are the specialty" behind her the merc nodded frantically "and minor fertility spells, mostly used to aid in the growing of things" she added as an afterthought.

As he stepped forward he grinned behind the mask "Deadpool, former mercenary with the healing factor stolen from Logan, well, you would know him as Wolverine" he saluted before taking his place beside the former Beast Boy.

Raven took his place "Most of you know me, and for those of you who don't I am Raven, formerly of the Teen Titans."

Cyborg looked helpless "Formerly?"

She nodded with a bit of sorrow "You guys will always be my family but there are those that need me more"

This time the leader stood, a head taller than Nightwing and more imposing than Batman and Superman if they shared the same body "I am Kikao-the Wanderer, formerly known as Beast Boy of the Doom Patrol, then of the Teen Titans, then freelance as Changeling." his hands clasped behind his back "Commander of _Nightmare Guard_ and head of the Order of the Fallen Graces"

Nightwing shook his head "You? Head of an order? Fallen Graces?" he looked at Superman who's face had paled.

The indestructible man shook his head "_Nightmare Guard_…Beast-Kikao, why would you start that of all things?"

The green man closed his eyes and held them that way "I follow the law, same as everyone else, though my laws are written on bone, blood and are as eternal as life itself"

The Green Lantern rumbled "What law is that?"

The green eyes pinned him and said nothing, making the message clearer than glass. The hero felt his stomach drop "O-oh"

Everyone moved back to chatting in small groups after they realized that Kikao wasn't moving from the sofa, questioning Raven, or the three girls he convinced to go associate with other heroes, Deadpool ran off chasing Samantha, the chimichanga lady convinced that his boss had gotten enough strength back to at least turn into something that would get him away from any potential danger. Surprisingly it was Bumble Bee who walked up to the morphling first.

Seeing how uncomfortably she was he patted the cushion beside him that she gratefully took "H-How have you been?" she stammered.

He smiled genuinely at the woman "I've been better but I met more people important to me, you?"

"I'm- uh, lost…" he looked at her before patting the hand that was on her knee "I-I just figured you _did_ something after…after that" she whispered and she saw him wince, it wasn't a good memory for anyone, there were things that got so out of hand and tempers flared…each Titan had to live with the guilt of what they did to one of their own.

But he grew strong. Strong enough that the Justice League, Doom Patrol and the conglomerate that the Titans had become were worried about six people. Essentially the entire Earth's super-defense wanted to know who was shaking them up so badly.

But that was wrong.

He didn't grow strong, he grew vicious, feral. A wild beast amongst men with teeth and claws to shred humanity. She didn't see it, but she could feel it.

The man squeezed her hand lightly "It's okay to be lost, just remember what's important to you-" he clenched his eyes shut and stood up before the glass shattered around him.

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><p>The crowd turned to see the head and body of Deadpool fly into the window only seconds apart, nobody responded quicker than Kikao…that was still the strangest thing to them, they had known him for years as Beast Boy, four men jumped into the room and held guns at the various members.<p>

At some unknown signal the Nightmare Guard did what they do best, one man holding a shotgun, looking down the barrel, had a round set on his wrist. Surt lit the powder and watched as the capsule sprang the two inches to hit him in the cheek bone hard enough to knock him out.

The second was nailed by Calypso and Raven working as a team, the girl twitched her hand and the man shook his head as bright flashes marked his vision before a black aura around the grips of the gun jerked it out of his hand and the butt encountered his head-another one down.

A giant spirit bear towered over the third, a dark blue form, as if fashioned from the night sky, sparkled as the micro stars shined and faded in it. The short-faced bear, the largest to ever exist at a standing height of fourteen feet stared down at him with every intent to maul the foolish human who quickly surrendered and it put a foot down on the dropped gun letting it shatter with a satisfying crack. Artio patted the bear's shoulder as it lowered itself to a laying position to receive it's master's praises.

The final man got the shortest, angriest stick in the history of the short stick saying. Kikao could hit with a force that would have battered the Man of Steel, though he didn't use it on this normal human it felt more akin to getting hit with a small asteroid than a fist. Still facing the group Kikao elbowed the man to his right in the solar plexus before flicking his knuckles up and shattering the man's nose ending with grabbing the man by the throat and throwing him over his elbow and headfirst into the ground right at the changeling's feet.

Within seconds these four attackers were rendered incapable of any more attacks. Surt and Artio bumped knuckles while Raven put her hand on the youngest girl's shoulder, their leader was helping Wade put his head back on straight from where it had been blasted off.

Nightwing took the lead on getting the four to the authorities while Batman looked around "I guess that concludes tonight's festivities"

Kikao handed Bee a card, simple with only an address and a phone number "If you ever want to talk, if I can do anything to help you out just give me a call. If you need help I'll be there, I only ask that you don't judge us" he said motioning to the group of his that was winding their way out side where they could portal jump in safety.

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><p>Three days later Bee couldn't stand it. Kid Flash had dumped Jinx to go out with a civilian and Jinx went dancing back to Cyborg who instantly took her back, granted his relationship with the Titans East leader was slow going. Now Jinx and Cyborg had come to the East building to redo the electronics after a massive EMP hit hard enough to fry every circuit hidden under feet of concrete.<p>

Ripping her communicator off her hip and snapping the case open she jabbed in the numbers quickly "Superman, you wanted me to let you know when I was going to head to Dios' Cradle. I'm calling right after this" and the man on the other end barely had time to nod before the end button was smashed and the new set of numbers entered.

As it rang she mused on the nature of Dios' Cradle, a small town settled in the 40's now a large city right in the middle of the country. Crime used to be at record breaking levels before Nightmare Guard called it home. Now the city boasted one of the best safety records in the world.

When the communicator was picked up she was met with Kikao's hooded face "Hey B-Kikao…I was wondering if I could come over tomorrow?"

The green man nodded "Of course, when you get in town call me and somebody will pick you up and bring you to our home"

Bee blinked, in all honestly she had been expecting to be treated with either distrust or hostility. It was normal procedure for one group that wasn't trusted to be drugged or blindfolded before being taken into the base. "Um, Superman saw you give me the card and wanted to know if he could come…"

Kikao looked off screen and Raven's voice sounded as she brushed a hand over his shoulder "Sure, I'll just have to get more groceries, I don't trust Artio after what happened last time" the mercenary grumbled and the man talking to her nodded and as they said their goodbyes she could see him clench his jaw with all the inhuman strength he had.

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><p>After hanging up he retreated to his room to meditate, underneath the surface rage burned though him like magma below the planet's crust. His body seeming swallowed itself as he traveled to the one place where even his almost infinite powers could be used without repercussions.<p>

The being there was hidden in a deep green cloak that cover it's entire frame from head to toe. _What's the matter, my heart?_

Slowly he sat on the ground head held between his hands "She still loves him"

The creature walked to him before wrapping thin arms around him _You know that. You knew that and you still went. _it 'said' with a comforting calming tone.

"I didn't know, I only hoped not" he sobbed, emotion choking him in a way that nothing else had before, not the death of his parents, not the years living alone in the jungle as…something inhuman, not the loss of the Doom Patrol nor the loss of the Titans.

Behind the cloak the creatures eyes widened_ I'm so sorry, sweetling. I-I forget that you can't see that far yet…_it pulled him even closer as he sobbed violently. It burned that nothing could be done for the shape shifter.

Every touch of the empathic girl was a flood to his senses. To someone who hadn't been physically touched or truly felt emotion since his parents death it wasn't just a touch. It was a drug, one powerful enough to burn itself into his mind and beg him for another hit.

But she was denied to him. The growling deep voice grieved "It's all him…it always was. You were right nobody can love a short green fanged…monster" he struggled with the word.

_I said the ability to love is beyond a monster, not that you are-_ it stopped and gnashed it's teeth, it had, inadvertently called him a monster. Worse than that. The master of the realm tried to comfort him but every world seemed against him, each one brimmed with images of joy while he wallowed alone in his self-hate.

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><p>In the real world Raven mused at the nature of their visitors "Garfie-" she stopped and looked around "Where's Garfield?"<p>

Artio shrugged "Dad went to his room right after he finished talking with that chick"

Raven went stock still and her mouth fell open. Deadpool, being the eldest, sensed something in the air was _wrong_ and coming from him that meant something "What happened Raven?"

"I-I touched his shoulder…"

Artio paused her session of 'Shadow of Mordor' to turn "And that's important why?" Surt and Calypso stopped their game of chess to stare at her as well.

Raven hated to even admit it to herself but she had to. They trusted her far more than they should given she was part of the group he left "I-I was thinking of Nightwing…as more then a friend"

Deadpool crossed his arms and pinched the bridge of his nose while the three girls were screaming and generally raising Hell. He summed it up rather quickly "Jesus Christ Rae, you may be family but you really did fuck up"

Raven blazed past them before wrenching open the door. She sighed in relief the instant before his voice hit her "Shut up and get the fuck out" it was whispered but it still managed to push her out and lock the door leaving her stunned.

He didn't leave his room for the rest of the day.

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><p>Bee and Superman touched down in the North part of town and the woman sent him a text. Getting one almost instantaneously saying Raven was on her way with Deadpool.<p>

What they didn't expect was a military grade humvee painted black pulling up to the curb with Deadpool driving and Raven sitting the passenger's seat. She clipped out "Get in" and they were on their way. Bee opened her mouth to question the tension but the glare she got from the two up front and the kryptonion hand on her arm stopped her.

They pulled into a four story estate right outside of town, plenty of property and they saw at least one horse running around. There were a few other cars in the garage but the one that stuck out to both Bee and Superman were the more unusual ones, another humvee, a small plane and a few bikes, behind a closed door was a separate garage that had only three cars.

But each one was a hell of a car.

The man of steel gasped "These aren't even out yet!"

Deadpool sat on the hood of one and ran a hand across his torso, down his outer thigh and across the hood trying to be sexy "You like? Boss has his ways…" the first car was the Laraki epitome corvette, a deep red with black accents that gave off a shine at the near full sun. the second was a 2014 Lamborghini Veneo Roadster with a dark silver main and red accents that made the car look almost indestructible. But the car that sat on a slightly raised dais was the 2000 Lotus Elise, bright silver with the top down, there were signs of rework, the wheels, for one, were much wider and the entire chassis was lowered until it barely hovered off the ground and the bumpers and siding were replaced to more curved and flowing lines.

The door opened and a person in a welding mask and other protective gear with a very pronounced limp in her right leg spat out in a coarse voice "And if you touch it I'm sure he'll gladly beat you to death, better head on up now there missy, he's going to see John soon"

Raven nodded "Thank you Hephaestus" the woman grunted in acknowledgement and limped past them to the main room where she could work in peace.

Bee made the remark as they sat in the elevator "Nice woman" she smarmed.

Raven turned back "Heph is our Cyborg. She works day and night to keep things running, but yes she is a bit…rough, not that I'd blame her"

Superman blinked "Okay, what's with the god names?"

Deadpool smiled brightly "That's for the Boss to say!"

Artio, Surt and Calypso met them in the main room and waved to the group before they went back to playing Mario Party. Bee looked around in awe, the were obviously outrageously funded and unlike the Titan's Tower or East's Headquarters this wasn't an ops room doubling as a living room but the other way around, the entire North wall was made of glass looking over the rest of the property and part of the city while the other three were decorated with pictures, flowing drapes, and ivy growing up trellises surrounding a giant TV that was at least equipped with a game cube and the play stations. There was a three large dark brown couches that formed a U shape with their gentle curves and the entire room was cozy and directly behind the couches was an old fireplace made of gray stone. Branching off there was a home kitchen and a table that sat eight people but the bar and couches seemed to be where most of the eating took place if the plates on the coffee table and the cups on the bar could be taken as proof. While everything was, once again, cozy no expense had been spared and everything was top of the line.

They saw Kikao step out of a door with a fitted tuxedo on, looking at the ground he walked past them and Karen took the moment to stare "What's up with him?"

Raven looked at her feet before looking at Artio who was taking a break and letting the younger girls duke it out "Can you tell them? I'm rather…yeah" and she darted off and Wade happily jaunted off leaving the eldest girl to try to explain to them what happened.

Artio pulled them into the kitchen before leaning over the bar "Surt, Cay, either turn up the TV or put in headphones 'kay?" the duo nodded and turned it up. Artio looked back, now only in a set of loose jeans and a t-shirt obviously stolen off Kikao she smiled "Is there anything I can get you to drink?"

A soda and a glass of water were procured and Clark reminded her "So why isn't he speaking to anyone?"

Her smile dropped "Um, it's a complicated internal matter…" and she sheepishly scratched the back of her head.

"Your boss used to be a Titan, I think that makes us, me a Titan and Clark here part of the JL, kinda insiders. So spill"

The girl was torn. Her guest was right but…"A'ight, I'll tell ya'" she rubbed her eyes "But if Dad get's mad I'm blaming you. Here's all I know, Dad's got more empathetic senses than Raven if your touching him and for some reason he _really _doesn't like Nightwing and he's rather soft on Raven. Well, when you called Raven ran her hand across his shoulder and was thinking about…" she blushed, in anger or embarrassment they couldn't be sure "rather adult things to do with the black and bitch-I mean blue. As you can tell that went over real well and now he's going to see John"

Superman held up a hand "Who's John? I've heard his name twice now"

Their host rubbed her hands looking nervous "Um, John is a veteran of Vietnam…and, uh, not really with us…we use it as a euphemism for going to the cemetery to see all the headstones"

Bee lifted a brow "Does he go often?"

Artio shook her head "Only when he's really upset"

The black girl gnawed her lip fearfully, this was much like whe- that event seven years ago. She had banned that incident from her mind. All of the Titans had. It really was worse than anything any villain had ever done.

The voice of the bear-girl pulled her out of her musings "So what are you here for?"

Superman went first seeing how pale his companion was "Part of the Justice League's responsibilities is to watch over all the groups, kind of a watch organization-"

Artio snorted harshly "Well, we ain't playing by your rules." she growled, the determination burning deep in her eyes "You don't make the calls you need." the alien opened his mouth to counter but the deep sadness in the Celtic girl's eyes wasn't directed in self-pity but the two still playing games, so he only took the stinging rebuttal.

Bee met the girl's eyes "I can't take being at home right now…I guess I'm in his boat too." she shrugged and the Celt nodded before walking over to the phone and hammering a number, a quick chat later and the girl told them "Wait right here. Heph wants to talk to you guys about meeting Cy…"

And sure enough within two minutes said woman was standing in front of them practically bullying her way to the Tower and the Station to see their equipment and talk to their engineers.

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><p>Artio was only partially right. He did go and see the headstone of John Miller. But when he continued past he saw the funeral of another friend. The children of the 86 year old hugged him tightly as they cried at their father's death. He stood stalk still as the pastor asked God for the blessings needed for the soul to accent. Quietly he slipped away after to stand on the hill and see the miles of headstones that marked this area like too many morbid flowers. Going back to his friend's grave he placed his own fresh flowers before kneeling and pressing his forehead into the soft grass.<p>

Glancing at his watch he noticed that he had been gone four two hours. Long enough for Bumble Bee and Superman to feel at home. Slowly he wandered back to his Elise and took his time getting back to his home. It wasn't like he didn't feel like an outcast there either.

* * *

><p>Bee caught Artio's attention with one question "How come you called him Boss and Captain at the meeting but now you girls call him Dad?" and indeed every conversation here between the three the man in question was called Dad.<p>

Immediately the eldest whistled and the two playing the game stopped "Superman has this great trick with his eyes that he wants to show you" her own never left the girl and the hero took the hint and showed them his eye lasers.

"What was that for?" the black girl asked.

"They had been half paying attention and this is a conversation that I don't want them thinking about before he got us. At all." Artio sat on the bar stool beside Bee "All of us he saved off the streets, I was the first I had been…making living off the streets and none of us want to remember that life. What else do you call the man that raised you?"

The door opened and Kikao again walked past them his black gloves waving only once as he disappeared into the hall. A moment later he showed back up in jeans and a long sleeve black shirt and his always present gloves. Deadpool and Raven had followed him into the room, the dark woman radiating worry. "Raven, Deadpool. Take the girls to the barn and let them ride. I have business with Bumble Bee and Superman." the tone brokered immediate compliance. Raven rushed to get them out as Kikao's eyes bored through the glass and across the landscape with hands clenched behind his back. He turned to them and gestured to the bar where the two superheroes sat as the green man poured himself a few fingers of amber liquid.

Taking the minute of silence as approval the overseer started "Why did you form the Nightmare Guard?" before him sat a pad of paper and a pen along with a recorder, beside that slid a bourbon made just how the alien liked it and Bee's elbow was touched by the chilled glass of her own favorite drink, a mint julep. She couldn't help but smile fondly, Cyborg had always said she had an old man's taste for drinks.

"Because I needed a front for the Order. One that would allow me to force the authorities to look the other way"

Bee set her drink down "That doesn't sound like anything a hero would do"

The green one downed the rest of his drink before pouring another and staring pointedly at the Man of Steel "What I say next stays in this room" the recorder was shut off and the heroes nodded "I'm not a hero anymore I'm a vigilante. And this is the part that won't ever leave this room except by me. The Order of Fallen Graces isn't so much an order as it is a divine witness protection." he peered at one then the other "Everyone that's part of the order is the offspring of a mortal and a god. No matter the pantheon, nor disposition, nor powers they're welcome."

Superman rubbed his forehead as that sank in before he felt his mind spark out in utter terror "They're named after their parents…"

"No, they take on their parents name as their hero alias, Surt's name is Winter, ironically enough" he said closing his eyes and covering his mouth with bridged fingers as his elbows rested on the countertop.

Bee continued on that line of though "So you are too?"

He blatantly ignored the question until Superman asked hesitantly "What happened to you? Why aren't you a Titan?"

Kikao opened one eye that spiraled into dozens of copies spiraling within the same white orb and growled so deeply that the drinks started to ripple "After I was thrown out I traveled the world for about two years. During that time I ran into the girls and managed to see exactly how many demigods are on earth" he paused and glanced out the window to see something far in the distance.

Clark shuddered, if there were more as powerful as the three at his side he would have to be more on guard than ever "How many are here?"

"What do you mean 'here'? They are more human than you or I, this is their home, as for a number…I'd estimate probably close to…2050 if I had to wager a guess, we're not all that many but there are quite a few of us. Mostly the other stay out of trouble and we have to find them. A few get into our trade and far fewer get on the other end. We actually travel to find them and get them to come here"

Superman looked at him and tried to pin down what it was that chilled him so "I know you don't acknowledge us as your allies but the Justice League needs to know that you aren't our enemies. I know this is pushing it but please tell me what happened"

"Like I said I wandered" he caught the man's eye and the message was passed _Titans are off limits_ "I went to Ireland, there I met a nine year old prostitute, needless to say I obliterated the ones who controlled her…services" he growled "I didn't know what to do with her. I couldn't hand her to the authorities-she was too traumatized by what she had been through to trust men. I left to get supplies when someone broke into the hotel room I was staying in, she summoned the bear and that was that. We went around Europe for awhile and met the other two. I discovered the pantheons, I knew about mythology but didn't apply it so much until it smashed into my face. Slowly I gathered all of them I could, they were just like me- looking for acceptance. Many of them were orphans or battered by society. I settled them here, I thought if anyone could accept them it would be the war veterans who fought beside men of every race and creed. In this city those that are not veterans are demigods are the minority."

Superman blinked "What about normal non-vets?"

"Less than five percent, we do want them to live here but the city…more accurately this building is built on the intersection of the five leylines of greatest power called the Gaia-lines. Something in the power makes normal humans wary of moving to the city but it doesn't hurt them, the vets have been exposed to little magics even if they didn't know it and are far more accepting of it than regular civilians."

Bee, more and more interested in the story by the second interrupted "Okay, after you moved here what happened?"

"We moved here and the authorities started digging around. Using the Order as a scholarly group I managed to get them to study from a distance. Then I made the Nightmare Guard to interweave the city's infrastructure with us. After that I managed to find Deadpool. A minor son of Athena had bitten off more than he could chew and picked a fight with a corporation that hired Deadpool to kill the boy. I managed to catch him off guard by turning into a snake with paralytic toxin, it got him interested enough to stick around. When he got here he found a battered group that welcomed him even with all his insanity and deformities"

Bee shook her head with a disbelieving smile "You guys are really, _really_ tolerant aren't you?"

The straight-faced answer got her sitting up straight "We are. Unlike some" but he continued "Then I managed to find out exactly how the pantheon worked, gods and goddesses can come over because they reside in a different realm we managed to find a way to find out who is crossing over and how long they stay." the host started rubbing his chest right above his heart

Bee muttered to herself "I remember hearing Deadpool was stateside…wasn't that when the Ti-they sent Raven to find out the reason for the influxes?"

Kikao nodded "They sent Raven to do that…or more accurately they gave her two missions, to find and stop the inter-dimensional rifts and to stop the person or people responsible for it. When she found out that Trigon was part of the pantheon and that, if helped, he could cross over at anytime she saw a reason to stay here. That was two years ago and I tried to keep the Nightmare Guard under wraps but that failed. Now here we stand"

Everyone knew there were things he was hiding. Big things, more massive than the secrets that even the Justice League, S.H.I.E.L.D. and any other organization had. Superman wanted to press but understood that he wouldn't get anything else. He simply nodded, thanked the man and returned to the Watchtower.

Kikao now looked at Bee "And now for why you're here…" he mused.

Bee looked at the floor more ashamed of her problem after hearing about him. She felt like a girl telling her dad who just got fired about finding her boyfriend texting her best friend behind her back. "I-I needed to get out of the Headquarters since Cyborg and Jinx are there…"

Looking at the ceiling forlornly he gave a tight smirk "We were both the second choices, you had the man you wanted for some time…better than…others"

Bee gave a disheartened chuckle "Guess it's time for the two heroes to get drunk?"

"I'd love too…but my responsibility says no…"

The girl laughed "In all this world I think that's the first time you said responsibility"

He looked at her for a long moment before whispering "Stay here" moments later he reappeared holding four papers, scraps in his mind.

Bee looked at one before carefully setting the framed document on the counter, then another, then the next and finally the last one. Bee stared at him for a full minute "Doctor?"

"They mean nothing to me besides telling the world that I do indeed know what I am talking about"

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" she couldn't believe her eyes, the dates were from many years before, before the Titans even.

"Why? What good would it have done? Nothing I could say on the subjects would have done any good. I know nothing of technology and what I do know of science is limited to exactly what those papers say: Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry and Theoretical DNA Studies. None of those were of any help to anyone but me"

She slowly moved them to the table, almost afraid that drinking even near their frames would somehow destroy the work "We all thought you were…well, you"

He tilted his head to the side "Then all of you are blind. I haven't felt real emotion, before the incident at the reunion, since I was five and with my parents"

Bee covered his hand with her own and saw his eyes flinch out of the past "Tell me about your teams powers, how scared should we be?"

With a dry scoff he broke her expectations "Be terrified. Each of them could end worlds, with Deadpool all he has to do is spill his blood into a drinking supply and everyone is dead along with making thousands of clones of himself, Raven simply could open up her soul self and envelope the planet, Calypso could trick every living thing into believing it's dead and the souls would leave, Artio could summon up Ursa to eat the planet and Surt can release a blaze that could instantly consume our sun. It's all well within their powers."

Bee took all this in stride, she _knew_ that they weren't human, she didn't realize how much so "What about you? You didn't tell Superman but you're one too. You said everyone in the Order was a demigod"

He was silent for a long time before asking "If I tell you will you not speak of it again?" she nodded "There is a reason I will never fight in the form you saw at the reunion. If I moved wrong I could destroy creation as we know it"

Bee stopped before swallowing the lump in her throat "T-That bad, huh? Then who was your…parent?" he didn't respond to her question.

But what he did say brought a deep seated fear into her "Do you ever just wish the world would die…" he wasn't looking at her or even anything, it was a stare out into the reaches of his mind "it's just so…unfair" his voice cracked and for a minute he fought back tears. He started to fail then remembered his company.

He would never cry in front of one of _them_.

He bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood and centered himself.

Beyond the door, hidden to even his senses the other six of his team held perfectly still. None of them had known that he was that much smarter than he let on, none of them knew the full extent of his power. And yet he wasn't done.

"How is it that no matter what we do none of us get noticed?"

He blinked at her question "You got noticed, he dated you for awhile but you played second. When Jinx offered him what he wanted he took it. I never got noticed. I wasn't-" he turned away from her as she heard a crack and looked around for a moment until another shocked her. It was his teeth.

Karen never could claim to feel emotions like the man in front of her or Raven. But even she could tell when fury radiated off someone. She spoke "Kikao, it's okay to be angry, it's human" he turned back and took off his gloves. It took her a full two minutes to realize how wrong she was.

Each of his fingers was tipped with a retractable talon that out a half inch from the finger tip, with the other still up in the air he slowly traced one razor over the cutting board and moved half one way and the rest of the mauled board the other.

Then she noticed the other part- each finger didn't have three joints. It had six. "T-that's freaky"

He slowed down as if pondering each word before he said it "Every demigod is what you would call a modified human. Except me, I wasn't born human. I looked it and I thought I was. Until I found out about the pantheon I didn't realize I was about as far from human as I could be."

He walked away leaving all of them in deeper confusion than before.

* * *

><p>Bee had eaten breakfast, cooked by Kikao and Deadpool-fruit salad and waffles by the green and bacon and sausage by the red and black before she called Titans East. Aqualad's face popped up "Hey Bee, what's going on?"<p>

"Since we've been on a down slope for awhile do you think you can handle things without me for a few days?" it was true, recently the crime rate had gone down, if patterns held it would be down for another few weeks before picking back up.

Glancing around the fish boy nodded "We got this, Cy and Jinx left yesterday so whenever you're ready"

She beamed "Thanks!" before shutting down the link and looking to see the only other person at the table give her a 'I-know-something-you-don't-know' smile giving a wary stare she asked "What's up Artio?"

"Nooooothing…just a little birdie told me you didn't want to just sit around all day"

"Yeah, so what?"

The girl stood up and pointed a finger straight at the yellow and black "I challenge you to paintball!"

With a grin the leader of T.E. shouted "YOU'RE ON!"

The teams were evenly split, Raven, Surt and Bee on one and Deadpool, Calypso and Artio on the other. The thought was that two of the elder titans could compete with the merc and that Surt could keep the other two busy while that happened. As they geared up Bee looked at the leader who sat on the side "You're not playing? Ever since I've met you you'd play anything you could get your hands on!"

A small smile played on his face "I had to grow up…and my fingers don't do well on the trigger, they sit on a joint and it's not exactly comfortable." she nodded and pulled on her mask before Kikao shouted "GO!" and made his way to the ref chair.

The speedball course was actually the training field that could change at the flip of a switch into an obstacle course or any other sports field they wanted and was directly attached to the gym and the indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub. Bee dodged behind a inflatable as forty-some odd balls pelted the fabric, she for once, envied Deadpool, he was the only one using twin hand guns, the rest were using standard issue markers. The entire match was done in less than five minutes and everyone who participated was covered in a sheen of sweat, "Damn that was fun" Bee panted "I see why you guys got all the stuff here, it'd be expensive to play too much of this anywhere else"

Surt nodded as she drained a water bottle "Yeah, and it's a great work out"

Their leader interrupted them "It is, play a few more games, I want you guys to have fun today. Tomorrow I need to do some sparring." at their looks of despair he granted "I'll invite Ares, Odin, Thor and Huitzilopochtli. Sound fair?"

Deadpool was the one who sobbed "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ON WHAT YOU DO TO US!?"

Without changing expression he responded "I just work out, I'm training you so that if anything happens to me you don't have to worry about anyone." he glanced at the sun "I'll be back in a few minutes, got to grab my communicator, we'll start then" and he shifted to a bald eagle and flew off.

Bee saw all the moping "It sounds like he cares for you a lot" there were disbelieving stares at her "Well, I mean if he's that worried about you then he wasn't you guys to be stronger than him. It's like how lions throw their cubs off a cliff, he wants you guys to be strong enough to be safe without him."

Raven, uncharacteristically, countered "Still hurts like hell though"

Artio held up her hands "Okay, let me put it this way, we have four gods of war, a god of human sacrifice, the sun, lightning, wisdom and brute force. None of them want to train with him. NONE OF THEM"

"Huh…it sounds like your dad's quite the badass"

With a chuckle Surt nodded "Of course"

Then the alarm went off and things took a turn for the worse.

* * *

><p>Nightmare Guard and Bumble Bee arrived at one of the private laboratories of the city to find both Mumbo and Punk Rocket and the former managed to see them out of the corner of his eye "Rocket! Look, there's where the green brat's been hiding!"<p>

Rocket's response was "Quite the uniform on 'im ain't it?" and well Bee had to agree with the villain, Gar's uniform was a deep malevolent purple long-sleeved made of yocto-fibers, one ten to the negative twenty-fourth meters thick but with the strength equivalent to a full Kevlar vest, with black tracing his every bone, from his spine to his ribs that stuck to him like a second skin with matching gloves and slightly baggy black pants held up with a black belt with a buckle that looked exactly like the communicator sitting behind his left hip, the NG stylistically pointed into a lightning bolt shape made of dark purple with black letters, to complete the outfit was a set of black boots and a black metal mask that fit tightly to the bridge of his nose and down to his shirt, the six slits running down each side of the mask let occasional flashes of his skin though but any expression would he shadowed.

Both villains waited for a 'something GO!' phrase that the Titans always had. It wasn't coming. Silence and then the Guard sprung into action. The amount of breakable private property had Deadpool reaching for his swords rather than his guns, but none of them got a chance to attack. In his years of petty crime the magician found a way to manipulate a trip line to bind those attacking him into a group the instant they crossed it's boundaries.

Every hero was caught in the simple trap "NOW ROCKET!" came the near hysterical old man. The supposedly unbreakable bond was straining as Kikao and Deadpool each grabbed a length and started to _pull_. Between them the otherworldly thread was fraying before a sound powerful enough to cause glass a mile away to shatter roared into their ears as Mumbo readied another spell.

The sound died and they suddenly found themselves in a pure white space. Mumbo was smirking triumphantly and chanted something. A feeling of embarrassment went over all but two of the heroes faces, and the old man smiled to his cohort "That spell was probably my best, an embarrassment spell. Now all of you have to deal with your own dirty laundry while the rest of us get to sit and watch!" the women felt a deep sinking in their stomachs. It wasn't a clean fight but an effective one. Provided they didn't fly into a rage at it. "Which one should I start with?" he asked the guitarist.

Suddenly unsure of the plan the boy stuttered "Uh…I-I don't know about this…"

With a huff the other rolled his eyes "Okay, then lets just start with the little girl!" _around them they saw the 12 year old curl into a ball in her Dad's side, only to wake up half an hour later by her Dad gently picking her out of her puddle._ "You wet the bed? At your age?" the veil covered her eyes but her cheeks flamed red.

Surt snarled "You sick bastard! What type of fight is this!?"

The spellster smirked "So angry at being tied…but since I'm feeling generous I'll just tell you, my magic isn't all that strong after breaking through the vault and if I do something like kill one of you the Justice League could come after me and I'd rather deal with you pip-squeaks then them" he cast his spell again this time on the flame-witch. _The little woman was told to kill the man and the only way she could pull off killing the overweight sweaty pig was her powers. But surrounded by so many the only way she could get away with it was a kiss. _Even the memory of it made her stomach turn.

Glancing sympathetically at Surt Artio gritted her teeth knowing she would be next. He didn't disappoint. _The girl walked up to Kikao with confused expression on her face "Seriously? This is pathetic! I got more when I was working as a who-" her face flushed as she realized her two sisters had walked in with her dad. Her shame had died many years ago, but back with people who cared with her saw to it's sudden resurrection. _She growled "When I get out of here I'm going to kill you" her bright red face made her threat less than imposing.

"I wonder what our magical girl here has for her own embarrassment…" if her pride would have let her she would have begged but Rage made herself known for the first time in years **'If you beg I will hijack our body. And I'll never give it back'.**

But when the spell fluttered over her Rage wished she could have done something to stop it. Anything. Even beg. _A much younger Raven sat on her bed, looking around with her senses she noted nobody close. Then she pulled out her prized possession, a picture of Robin, as he was then known, getting out of the shower with naught a stitch on and something had caught his interest as he walked out at attention. Slowly she dipped her hand into a drawer to pull out a toy before pressing it into herself . She didn't hear the knocks at her door nor the voice "Hey Rae, it's time for-" She made eye contact with Beast Boy, the most annoying boy who she knew had a crush on her, and immediately threw her blanket over herself, her voice was far more than angry __**"If you tell anyone I'll gut you like a trout"**__ and her powers blasted out, throwing the boy at least a dozen feet. He crashed into a wall hard enough to make an imprint and the back of his head leaked out copious amounts of blood. She knew the sound wouldn't be investigated, the team would simply believe he did something to annoy her._

Mumbo paused, this was quite the treasure trove "Poor little Beastie got beat up for being sociable" he mocked. But for Raven it became much worse Calypso and Surt stared at her in shock while Artio seethed in anger at her role-model's action. Bee and Deadpool were incarnations of wrath for a different reason. They now knew that Raven was and had been aware of Beast Boy's feelings. And how she threw them back at him, how she cut him down at every chance. But they didn't have a chance to do anything when Mumbo continued and cast the spell on Bumble Bee.

_Her own moment was burned into her head. She had just gotten a boyfriend, a guy she adored since she had met him two years ago in her final year of middle school, things were perfect. Her parents wouldn't be back until the next day and she had gotten him to come over with the intention of relations of a more intimate type. He had proven an adept kisser and quickly pulled her shirt off before stopping "What the hell are those?!" he screamed jumping back in horror. Her wings had come out and as she tried to give an explanation he tried to rush off until the door opened before him and hit him hard enough to bust his nose. Her parents were home early…_

The old man laughed "Poor, poor naught Bumble Bee, trying so hard to be a grown up" without remorse he cast the spell on Wade, when nothing happened he growled and cast the incantation again before hissing "What the hell's going on?"

His target answered for him "Oh, don't worry, it's just I've done way too many things you would call embarrassing…but I don't!" he beamed "Like the time I played checkers in the nude in Central Park!"

Punk Rocket, who hadn't enjoyed any of this and was seriously regretting partnering with Mumbo threw up. Nobody blamed him since Raven, Bee and the girls were trying to as well.

The thief of a magician targeted Kikao "Now to see what our little leader is hiding here!" he tittered with sadistic glee.

Like Deadpool nothing appeared and the magician went on a rampage cursing the world black and blue. "I can tell you why it didn't work, you pitiful excuse for a hack" the leader sighed.

"And what the hell would you know of magic you stupid under ripe excuse for a boy?" he growled in response.

"I do have a major knowledge of it" all parties looked surprised except for the speaker and Deadpool who was smirking psychotically behind his mask "My mother invented magic and decided that I should know some as well" when Mumbo just stared at him blankly he continued "There are two reasons that it won't work, the first is something I'd rather like to avoid saying but seeing as we've already come this far…" he sighed "mentally I'm even less stable than Wade here and second, I haven't ever felt embarrassment, I was four when my parents died and I killed almost all of my emotions to survive what happened after. In fact there is really only two emotions I've felt since then. Humiliation and rage. Never embarrassment but full out humiliation."


	2. The History

**Thanks for reading. It really does mean a lot to me that people are taking the time to read this.**

**Beta-ed by OMG Pterodactyls and Broconi. Thanks guys, this wouldn't have gotten off the ground without you.**

* * *

><p>There was a moment of complete silence as each of them took in what Kikao just said, no emotions. Raven opened her mouth but snapped it shut with enough force to bruise her jaw. Something had been off about his emotions, a younger girl had thought it was because he wasn't fully human, but now she could only be impressed-to have imitated emotions that well as to fool even Mento, herself, the Martian Manhunter and every other mind reader he had ever come across. Deadpool had known, he was far too aware of insanity for it to slip past him especially when it was as potent as the one his boss carried. Everyone else was far too shocked for their mind to process, Bee most of all, she had seen him as a happy-go-lucky joker. But he wasn't.<p>

Punk Rocket sat down and crossed his legs behind him with his guitar a few feet in front of him. Mumbo snarled, an atrociously un-intimidating look on his long nosed blue face. The green man looked at Deadpool who nodded and snapped at Raven "Ravie, other side and pull. Now!" it wasn't a very nice voice but Raven complied with Wade's command and seconds later Kikao was nowhere to be seen.

He reappeared a few feet to the left of the group "Okay Mumbo, let's see who's faster on the draw"

"Fine then, Mumbo Ju-" and it was over. A clean slice right through the heart. But no blade.

Turning to see how Kikao had moved they noticed he didn't. But then again he wasn't a creature they had ever seen before. At a first glance it looked like a hyena, the front legs longer than the back but they were much to short for the creature that sat on them, being only three-and-a-half and three respectively there was no way for the eight foot long creature to run at any speed, being tear shaped with a belly nearly four feet around and with a head the size of a large watermelon. Though the creature did have a defense, from the tip of it's nose to the end of it's rump was long hair set in spikes making it a painful opponent to attack from any angle. The creature opened it's mouth again and pulsing vibrations rushed out of it's mouth to shred the hat that had caused the Titans so much trouble.

When Kikao shifted back the rope that had bound them was gone and Bee asked the question that was on everyone's mind "What was that?"

Twisting his neck painfully he answered "Single trait mutations. I choose a trait and let my powers direct it, that was for a compressed sound wave, faster than his chant." and he turned to see Deadpool glaring at Raven "Deadpool, I want you to take Punk Rocket to jail."

The black and red scowled "Why me?"

"Because you need time to cool down, I'd go with you but I'm hungry" and as if his body wanted to speak for itself a deep malicious growl echoed from his stomach and he opened his communicator "Heph , I need you to prep the Omega cell." and he grabbed the body of the magician before disappearing.

Wade tsked but did as he was asked and waited for the police while the others climbed in the humvee, Bee met Raven's eyes "We need to talk" the pale girl nodded and they soon had the car parked in the garage and were going about their own things.

Raven started by answering the question she knew Bee was going to ask at some point "Yes, he is eating Mumbo's body"

"B-But that's cannibalism!" Raven was rather glad that they were in the room Bee was staying in, the soundproofing was very good in this corner room.

"No, not really. Cannibalism is described as the eating of ones own species and seeing as Gar isn't human then it's not."

Bee grit her teeth and moved on "Okay. So forgetting all this eating a villain crap do you mind telling me about that little episode we were shown?"

Raven gritted her teeth "Wait for Deadpool, he's the only one probably more angry at me than you are."

"And why's that?" the irritation in the East's leader was palpable.

"Because unlike anything you know Gar gave him a home, a place where his insanity didn't ostracize him"

Bee left and an hour later Wade walked in and glared at Raven before growling "My room. Now" and soon all three were in his room. Reflecting on things for a moment Wade realized that his boss knew him too well, even with a few hours of cooling off he was still angry beyond belief and if they had tried this when he was riled up… "Tell me why you seemed to enjoy throwing him into that wall"

Raven sat on his desk and watched as the other two each took a side of the bed to sit on and stare at her "That…episode was taken only a few months before we-" she choked. She couldn't help it, even to her what lead to Beast Boy's banishment from the Titan's was unpleasant "I am and have been in love with Nightwing, or Robin as he was known then, I had locked the door during the night but there had been a power surge that had shorted the door…I was so preoccupied I didn't hear him until the door opened." she paused a moment, Bee seemed less angry but Wade…he was unreadable in that moment so she trudged on "during that time there was animosity towards him. He was more hated then any of the villains I can think of. There wasn't anyone who would have stood up for him. But I have to say…yes, at the time I did enjoy throwing him into that wall"

There were two deep and sudden cracks, the first was Deadpool slamming his fist down on his thigh hard enough to pull his femur down and rip the flesh from his fibula and tibia and shatter his patella. The second was him slapping Raven across the cheek. His eyes were so full of rage that it pushed his insanity to the side and Raven, her own admission of guilt, didn't even show the four eyes that would have appeared for any other reason. Suddenly it wasn't the usually friendly Deadpool talking to the second in command of the Order of the Fallen Graces. This was the Second Commander of the Nightmare Guard and one of the most feared mercenaries in the world commanding Raven Roth to speak "You have fifteen seconds to explain to me why I should allow you to stay alive. Go"

She didn't waste any time "When I found out what the influxes were I found Gar and saw what he was doing, I had thought that Trigon was the strongest thing in existence but seeing a few of those kids I realized I was wrong. I stayed because I knew those kids could use my help and I'll do anything I can for them."

She looked at Deadpool who only said "12:43. Get out now" they complied. Stepping out they saw the time and groaned. They had to face Kikao's training in the morning, quickly they rushed to sleep knowing the next day wouldn't leaved them unscathed.

* * *

><p>When Bee found herself in the training room…it wasn't what she expected, before she fell asleep she managed to convince Raven to show her what the gods would look like, and there they were, each armed with their favorite weapons, the Nightmare Guard and herself. But at the moment they all surrounded the form of Kikao, kneeling with his arms chained behind his back, from shoulder to hand bound so tightly that his bones creaked, from the visuals room a story up Hephaestus' voice bounced around "The normal-20 minutes of just trying to hit him, no counters. Go" and that's what it was. Kikao dodging and slipping between all of them trying to avoid getting touched by anything.<p>

And it was here where Bee got another taste of his insanity, how he moved, dodged wasn't human, she became aware of his body bending in ways that defied bones, if they snapped he didn't care, they healed quickly enough to counter any inconvenience, to evade a bear arm swiping over head, a tooth and bone club from behind and Raven's black bullet he had slid on his knees with his back centimeters from the floor with his arms between his spread knees before he leapt straight up from that position a good ten feet and somehow managing to land on his feet and keep running. As the bell rang nobody could complain, the 'attackers' fell to the floor and started panting while the 'target' drenched with sweat let the chains fall before walking around and handing each of them a bottle of water while taking only a small sip of his own.

The control woman gave them five minutes before it came time for 'sparing' them versus him, last man standing was the winner, he was chained again and couldn't shift. Everyone else was allowed all their powers. Raven and Bee remembered when this lesson was buried into his heart, a joint training between East and West many years ago when all was bright in the world, Robin made the remark that while Beast Boy was the most versatile he lacked what each of the others had- hand to hand experience, yes, he was skilled in martial arts but he needed more than that.

Now Bee only wanted to knock the mask off the boy. Apparently whatever else had been said to the boy had fueled the fire of the young man. Each fist that was blocked or kick that clipped them stung horribly, at one point she dodged a fist to the stomach only to have it connect with her shoulder and render the entire appendage ablaze in pain, quickly flexing the fingers she barely gripped her stingers before resuming the attack from a distance.

Even then it didn't improve their chances, having every ranged fighter being set apart only gave him more time to dodge, each projectile missing by a hairs breadth. Their only victory was minor, he was covered in sweat to the point where he had slipped once, but he was on his feet and dodged the attacks that came for in easily and only returned an attack when he was sure it could hit. And he didn't miss any opportunity to paint them black and blue, even those at a distance were marked by the end. The sudden end.

A speck of blood. In the entire world there was no more a foul coincidence, after his meal the taste of blood was at the forefront of his mind as the predators bayed for more, his anger also at a near peak, his adrenaline at a constant high. Then came a single speck of blood, after a nasty hit Ares had fallen to the floor and bit his lip, as the tiniest bit of blood roused more of the predator another hit found him and the blood went sailing. And as if deemed by the cosmic god of bad fate it landed in the panting mouth of Kikao who let loose a deep growling roar before leaping towards the Greek God of War.

Then it all turned white and before them was a picture perfect field with a small waterfall and a few trees. Kikao was asleep on a hammock some distance in front of them.

Only then did they hear the voice "My heart, why must you be so stubborn?" and she seemed to just appear behind them. Even Raven couldn't stop the gasp that escaped when they turned, this woman was beautiful, her hair was so perfect a gold it shamed the rings that the gods wore and her skin so perfectly tanned that it reflected the sun of the realm perfectly, her eyes so blue that one could fathom the depths of the sea in them. The gods bowed before disappearing their portals trembling with fear.

The lady brushed past them without looking, only a motioning of her hand told them that she was even aware of them and with no visible sign before the hammock where Gar lay seven chairs of earth formed and they each took a seat in a gentle curve that faced the final chair close to the shape shifter. Slowly their host brushed a thumb against his cheek with a sigh.

Artio, the one who had been with Kikao the longest spoke first "I've seen you before…"

The lady smiled with perfect teeth "You have, once in a dream. Though for everyone else this is our first meeting and I never introduced myself to you." she turned and suddenly an invisible breeze past by them "I'm Garfield's birth mother"

Raven gaped "That's impossible, his birth mother died when she went over the waterfall"

The lady gave a smile that didn't reach her eyes "I suppose you went through his dreams again, but how, pray tell, did you think he became the head of the Order when he was born to two humans?"

"I thought that the serum held a fragment of god DNA"

Their host put a finger to her chin "Well, you're not wrong. But the truth is a bit more then that so I'll leave it for later"

Bee looked at Gar "It seems we have time now, so why don't you start at the beginning?"

"Reasonable request" and they all turned to stare at where it came from. Deadpool, who was currently having a staring contest with a rubber chicken.

"Well if Wade tells me that's reasonable I guess it is…very well" the lady turned to face them but she always had a hand on their boss "Here is the super abbreviated version. I'm…a lady should never admit this…old. Very old. And during that time the only thing I had to keep me company was my sister and whatever I created. But even then boredom is quite the monster. After I saw humans I decided that it might be fun to just live as one for awhile. So I took on a body and sealed my memories of being me and lived a happy life. Got married to a man I loved and we journeyed around the world. Then came Garfield's first death." she was silent for awhile "My memories unsealed parts of themselves and I managed to create, with my husband, a serum that would activate the tiniest bit of the powers that lay inside him. That's why nobody could recreate it, the serum didn't _cure _anything. The next notable thing was my death. When we went over the falls we did indeed pass from this world. That's why my husband has passed into my sisters hands. I, however cannot pass through the veil under my own power. Thus here I am"

Deadpool responded with a blank face and possibly the most convincing tone that anyone had heard "That explains everything…and nothing." he scratched the top of his head "Okay, lets start with who exactly are you and how many eyes do you have?"

This was one of those moments where Raven was glad her father had four eyes, meaning she was stronger than most any other god in any pantheon. The number of eyes was a direct relation to how powerful a creature was. The lady gave a tiny smile "My name, in your language, is Gaia, as for eyes…I lost count"

But the group lost it at 'Gaia' Creator of All Worlds, Mother of Life, Mother Nature, God in any other word.

Artio chuckled as her hands shook "Well, that explains a lot…" suddenly she felt lightheaded and flopped to the ground before muttering to herself "raised by the son of the single most powerful being in existence with unlimited eyes and I didn't notice…seven whole years and I didn't notice" Calypso, Surt and Deadpool joined in on muttering under their breaths.

The girls and Deadpool were asleep at a wave of Gaia's hand and she leaned over to the two girls "Don't worry, they're just asleep because what I have to say next stays between the three of us and they were far too noisy"

Raven and Bee were scared. This woman's smile didn't meet her eyes and she looked ready to tear their throats out at the slightest provocation, they were spared the deathly silence when Gaia spoke again "When Garfield died the second time I brought him here and allowed him to ask the Fates two questions. Unlike what humans think the Fates don't weave or break the Threads of Fate, they judge the probability of things happening. Gar's first question is would he ever fall in love with somebody who returned it"

Her eyes were glued to Raven who shivered "They laughed. That's the first time they have ever laughed, the probability was so small as to appear to them as absolute zero." the woman threw the chair that she had been sitting on and a sudden crack confirmed that somewhere a dead planet was destroyed. She stood and continued with much pacing with her face a mask of fury "They gave him a free question since he made them laugh…"it was apparent to the two that he hadn't been happy when they laughed and neither was his mother but for a question from the Fates he endured it "He asked if he would ever have biological children…again the number was so near zero that to them it appeared to be so. His last question was would he ever be so far gone that he would destroy creation." here she stopped for a full minute as she tried to calm herself and close some of the multitude of eyes that opened up in her anger. "They told him that if he didn't have children or a relationship then he was 73% certain of going so far into his insanity that he wouldn't come back, of that there was a damn near 100% chance of him destroying everything."

Raven twisted her hands thoroughly "Why are you telling us this?"

She turned away "I'm telling you because those three asked that I tell you. And to be honest even if he destroys everything I'll be left and I don't want to start creation over from scratch, nor do I want to lose my only real child"

"What do you mean real child?" Bee mused, covering her mouth at the slip.

"Each child I've made until him as been molded exactly as I wanted. He comes from part of me and part of Mark. Beyond giving him life I haven't influenced him at all besides what memories he has from before the accident and what I've told him the times he's been here."

Raven glanced at her counterpart for a moment "Why even bring us into this conversation? We don't see him that way…and to be honest I already have feeling for someone-"

"And you're aiming for the time when he and Starfire are broken up, and there is an 80% chance he'd take you up. I'm telling you because you are the closest women to him. He sees you as people like himself. And if you'd _listen_" she growled more at Raven "you'd know the only reason he really even defends the city is because the demigods and metahumans, regular humans don't interest him at all, he doesn't care if they get sucked into the sun or if they die in the cold of being buried alive."

There was a deep silence for a long time before Gaia started again "Gar came here yesterday to ask me about guarding you while you're away"

"Away?" Raven looked catatonic "What do you mean away?"

"Gar's toll was originally a kiss and I wanted him to keep it but he didn't want to force you to do anything…"

Bee stuttered "Don't the girls love him?"

"No. they love the bond of their father but if it had been Nightwing they would have loved him just as much. He knows that so he tries as hard as he can from loving them and only the bond" with one final look of fury Gaia hissed and snapped her fingers. She had been on the brink of telling them something else but her own fury at it had ended that attempt instantly but by the time that they could have replied they were each in their own rooms and the tiredness of inter-dimensional travel slammed into them.

* * *

><p>Breakfast was tense. There was no way around it, the entire Guard found themselves upturned in just two days. The tension reached a peak when Surt put down her fork and stood up to leave "Surt…everyone…we need to talk."<p>

Quietly they finished the meal and returned to their seats "As of this moment the Nightmare Guard is on hiatus. Hephaestus, you and your husband can go see the Tower and the station, I've already cleared it up with Cyborg and Superman. Deadpool, I want you to go with Bee and help them, from what I've heard so powerful villains were heading that way and they could use the back up." he had been staring down at the table until that moment when he met eyes with each of those that would call themselves his daughters and Raven "Girls, you will go with Raven to be with the Titans, that will help broaden your horizons…think of it as studying abroad." each of them quietly left "Raven…stay a minute"

She sat again "What is it?" she was excited, if Nightwing wasn't with Starfire when she got there…

Staring at her face like it would be the last time he thought through everything he could say "When was the last time I was Beast Boy and you didn't ignore anything I asked you to do?" she tried to think but he continued "When, as Kikao did I give you and order you didn't want to follow and you did it?"

"Never"

"Then I'm giving you an option" he sighed, there was something painful in it "If you want I will not bar you from leaving the Nightmare Guard to rejoin the Titans"

Raven stopped breathing, the things Gaia said were coming true too fast for her to process "Wha-"

"Originally I was going to ask a final gift…a kiss. But I won't seeing as how every time we meet eyes you hold nothing but contempt for me. Have somebody send me a message if that is your wish"

Raven opened a portal to her room and just before it closed she heard his final parting "Good bye Raven. May G-Gaia protect you" he choked out past the emotions. But it didn't matter. Not to her.

* * *

><p>Deadpool was surprisingly welcomed within Titans East, as Aqualad put it "I'd rather him be on our team then having to watch out for him" with a shrug he continued "And he's quite the gamer and he's insane so he fits in just right around here"<p>

Batman stared at the limping woman with a rough voice and a demeanor that could sand down steel and her husband, a world renowned model. With their reversed relationship, she wore the pants while he was much more lovey-dovey, he couldn't help but ask "So a son of Aphrodite and the daughter of Hephaestus?"

Heph nodded as she limped to a chair and scowled while wrapping her arms around her husband's waist as he sat in her lap "Yeah, this dumbass somehow convinced me to marry him…" but being the detective he was he could see what Kikao did, she was rough and coarse but she did love him, and somehow she cared for the Guard.

Raven was happy to be back with the Titans even though she did catch Starfire and Nightwing on the upswing of being together, the girls seemed to like it but the kept their own, even Raven wasn't allowed in their circle of things.

Cyborg, who had been aware of the then-Beast-Boy's affections didn't say anything. In truth he was probably the one who the harsh break between the green man and the team had hit the hardest, he who should have stood next to his friend didn't. Now he felt like his insides were breaking, Raven only cared for Nightwing and the girls only cared about each other. Leaving Gar alone.

Silent. That's what the home rang with. He sat alone with nothing as his companion. Just as it had been those many years ago. Slowly setting down his cup he bathed in the red alarm light for a second before standing and starting the day.

* * *

><p>Jinx walked into Cyborg's room to find the man sitting on a chair staring out the window "What's the matter?" she had never seen him like this, he gave only a weak shrug and continued to stare. "If you can't tell me what's wrong we can't fix it"<p>

Cy turned to face her "Why did we do that to Beast Boy?" she paled "Why does Raven hate him? She says she doesn't but that doesn't match to what she says or does to him…"

The lighter sorceress nodded in understanding "Nobody understands her…she tried to keep people at a distance, but when she realized she was in love with Robin…I don't think she understood what it meant and tried to push all other boys away."

The red eye of her boyfriend seemed to peer through her "That doesn't explain the hate…and this" slowly he set up two videos, the first was the embarrassment curse and then her explanation.

Within in the man something changed. His body rebelled and he ran to empty his stomach, his mind only on what they had done to him. Jinx found him kneeling in the bathroom holding his head in his hands.

_We tried to kill him…we hated him so much…for nothing…why?_

* * *

><p>The book across from him held the approval of the board and he emailed the manuscript to the publishing house. Dr. K would have another book by tomorrow. Very quietly he walked to the roof where the mild fall was ending and the winter was staring to turn harsh, ignoring the cold he stared at the air right before him. He concentrated and another eye opened…and another…and another until eight eyes stared into the space before cracks formed in the air only to fall away like glass revealing the Hell that so many people believed in, though uninhabited. His pace leisurely he meandered through the fire and brimstone while closing all but two of his eyes leaving him as human as he could be with green skin and elfin ears, ignoring the reeking stench of sulfur and iron he finally met the only being who inhabited this realm.<p>

"Trigon the Terrible, Scath…so many names, but which do you prefer?"

The red demon snarled **"HOW DID YOU GET HERE?!" **he bellowed in rage, this…mortal just entered where he himself could not leave.

"Very simple, I walked in."

"**I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF! YOU WERE THERE FOR HER WHEN I-"**

"Yes, yes, have your little temper tantrum…are you done?"

Though he wouldn't show it the green one now interested him, being the God of Fear he should have felt it rolling off the creature in waves. But it wasn't. In a much calmer tone he growled **"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you"**

"Because my mother, your great-grandmother would be very upset…I am one of Gaia's children" he opened four more eyes as proof.

Suddenly aware that he had nearly sealed his fate he snarled quietly **"Then why didn't you use that power against me?"**

"I didn't know I had it then, as it is I'm barely 22"

Trigon's eyes blinked **"You're just an infant…how are you this powerful?"** to rip open a dimension required power or finesse. The latter was extremely lacking in the boy.

"Because I was not born _of _her but _from_ her"

The demon clenched his hand on the arm of his unadorned black throne **"…Why are you here? Unless it's revenge I don't know why…"**

Almost ignoring the question the changeling tapped his chin "When I first heard of you they called you 'God of Fear' but that didn't make sense to me, why try to destroy the universe when you fed on fear?" he started pacing "I'm not the brightest and it took me until I moved on until I could finally see it. You lied"

Trigon knew where the mortal was going, surprised to say the least he was now curious of the boy **"Why do you say I lied? I always did what I said I would do"**

"Until it came to the Earth. You don't feed on destruction, why go through all the trouble. Because if you made one world an example the fear for you would skyrocket, those that feared you enough would worship you to keep the Earth's fate from happening again. You're sly Trigon…that's why I want to make a deal with you"

Now the demon was thoroughly confused **"A deal? With me, boy? What do you have that I wan-"** he was cut off by his own delirious moan. Panting he managed to speak **"What was that?"**

"That is the taste of the fear I create. If you do agree I'll feed you fear like you've never known."

Scath was now at his whim. He knew it and so did the demon, that fear was like bathing in ambrosia after feeding on filth his entire life…sweet and complex, there was no mortal pleasure or vice that could compare. And he had tried them all **"What do you want…Master?"**

"I don't want your subservience" he snapped surprising the demon who accepted surprise as the norm with this…creature "I want two things. First I want you to let Raven have the life she wants" the demon twitched but didn't say anything "Then I want you to quite trying to take over worlds. I will feed you enough fear to keep you sated and I'll have a dimension created for you. To your liking."

"**Why? Why all of this? It makes no sense, you have willingly given me far more than you ask for"**

"It's simple Trigon. I'm dying and any promise I make now will last forever. When I die all the fear those who I've trained will be yours."

Replaying every human emotion he had felt those many years ago he came to one conclusion **"You love Raven. But she loves another"** omnipresence didn't make for automatic knowing.

"I am…aware. This is the only thing I can do for her." the man stared at the demon "Teach her how to be whole again and we can move on with this agreement"

Without hesitation the great demon lord shrank to a human size and held out a hand. With the shake he rumbled **"We have an accord…"** the boy turned and left with another portal **"…Master"**

* * *

><p>Gaia watched as Gar made a deal with the Devil…though she could debate his position as such. Her own portal appeared and she stood in front of the man sized demon "Trigon…I'd like to speak with you"<p>

His voice lost it's demonic resonance as he realized to whom he was speaking "Lady Gaia…"

"Do you know what my son fed you?"

"Fear, Lady, which I've never tasted before" a trickle of drool sat on his mouth as he remembered the sweetness.

"I trust you'll not break your end of the bargain?"

"Of course not" he shuttered.

The lady before him waited a moment longer "Why did you swear subservience to him? He didn't ask it or want it"

Lifting a knuckled he gnawed on it, his hesitation to tell at odds with the punishment she might enact for his reluctance "Because if he's your son and can feed me like that then there is no reason not to. This is the first child born from your womb and I'd rather be on his side _now_ with an annoyance of subservience then scrabble to show him loyalty later. And make no mistake I can _feel_ the power oozing off him with eight eyes open…and the instability that gnaws at him"

Lady Earth's mind whirled, she could feel his power, the insanity that threatened him at every turn…but what could she do to stop it. Only cast the divination and pray it all turned well, the absolute future was never easy nor readable. It would show her only the barest and more often than not caused more worry. Remembering Oedipus she could only finish with "Trying to avoid your fate leads you right to it" glancing back at the demon "Trigon, your daughter is asleep, I'd go to her now and be gentle…if you wish I can go with you" he nodded.

* * *

><p>Raven's dream was only mildly erotic with the man in the black mask, though all passion faded when she found herself once again on the grassy plains she remembered. The words left no doubt as to who brought her here, the sarcasm and slight twist in the knife "Charming, dream about him much?"<p>

"Gaia! Why are yo-why am I here?"

Mother Nature stepped aside "I'm only here to prove the truthfulness of his claims"

"TRIGON!" immediately her eyes burned white with power but she couldn't reach her emotions.

"Calm yourself child" he said in human size as he lifted his hands placating "I'm here because of a deal with your former employer."

Still on guard the psychic snarled "What happened?"

Gaia raised three chairs, each several feet apart before Trigon started "This evening I was accosted by the Green One from the last time I trie-"

Raven immediately rounded on Gaia "YOU LET YOUR SON MAKE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL?!"

The Mother of Nations blinked calmly "Why do you care? You hate him don't you? And for your information _girl_" the word was more condescending then anything else Raven had ever heard "the deal ended with both parties obeying your _human_ laws of good and evil"

With a glance at the Red she gave him permission to carry on "We made a deal, he feeds me the most delicious fear in exchange for me not pressing my will on you. From here on out any interaction with me will be at your instance, except for now. I will teach you how to make yourself whole…" the demon let out a bolt of red energy that wrapped around the girl before darting away.

Raven felt her powers tingle at her fingertips and radiate down her spine. Control. Absolute control. About to lash out at her sire her hands were suddenly down by her side. Gaia's glare cut off anymore movements. "Now Raven, your emotional manifestations are still there. Now they are synchronized with you. They are still you in separate entities. Now their voices are balanced. Listen to them." then the speaker left. Now it was only Gaia and herself. Then an annoyed flick of the wrist and she jolted up from her sleep and glanced down at her uniform. Pure white.

* * *

><p>Two month had passed and her new powers were marvelous, she could allow her emotions to be free without fear. She told the Titans the next morning after meditating. The only two emoticlones who weren't happy weren't even there, Rage and Timid, the former having nearly glued herself to the latter after her release. Rage hadn't done anything to Timid who had actually physically pulled the red facet into her maze with her.<p>

The girls seemed to separate themselves from the group, even Raven whom the rest of the titans believed to be a mother figure for them.

Cyborg, though had sent message after message to the Nightmare Guard captain only to receive short, curt replies. His attempts to mend the gap between them were met at a harsh stalemate.

Until the call came in. The day had been peaceful with no criminal activity and Nightwing taking his girlfriend to the pier for a date. The annoying buzz came from every communicator from the utilitarian Justice League signal devices, to the yellow and black Titans communicator to the black and purple of the Nightmare Guard. Looking at the blank message for a moment they silenced their comms. before going back to their day, the trio playing Mario Cart, Raven meditating and Cyborg and Jinx eating a light lunch.

Raven turned and growled long, deep and low. Cyborg paled at the four burning red eyes and the voice he remembered so well **"CHECK YOUR DAMNED COMMUNICATORS! IT'S MY MASTER!" **this once breaking his oath would be worth it for the stream of fear that filled his belly.

The cybernetic teen was terrified at who could be the master of that beast but checked anyways. The screen flashed

_**Alpha, Alpha, Omega, 1,1,0**_

_**Dio's Cradle**_

_**Sent Five minutes ago**_

Raven, herself again, stared at the pale man "T-The all emergency, it's been sent to…everyone."

Raven looked up impassively "There's no way to get everyone on the T-ship, I'll stay"

Calypso stared at her with blank eyes "You'd leave him to rot after everything he's done for you?" the disbelief in her voice was painful.

Raven winced "I-I didn't ask him to do any of it. I just volunteered to stay so that-"

"Fuckin' Hell you are!" Artio screamed and she chanted something that Cy barely registered as Celtic before it descended into guttural roars and groans. The sun was blocked out and Raven looked at the eldest girl who became pale and swayed alarmingly as the chanting grew louder and louder. The final words she chanted were a remarkable "Ursa Minor" Raven grabbed the girls, Jinx and Cyborg with a tendril of black power before warping to the roof where a giant space of stars in the shape of a bear hovered. The constellation lowered a paw as wide as a planes wings before they leapt on. Somewhere in the space of five steps the colossal creature made the near 1000 mile journey.

Raven couldn't help but ask "How is Nightwing supposed to get here?"

Surt shrugged and brushed it off "He can take the T-ship" her focus only on helping the man that saved her from the fate of an assassin.

* * *

><p>Titans East made no such folly. At the sound of the ringing each one of the members, including Deadpool stared at the screen for a long moment. When nothing came across they started to dismiss it. Except Wade. He stared at it much longer, his sense of dread growing with every passing second. Until it showed up.<p>

Snapping the case closed he rushed to Bee "We gotta get to Dio's NOW!"

The Leader of the group led them to the experimental T-Wing, a much more angular ship than the one the Teen Titan's original. Within five minutes they were in the air. 23 later they were setting down in Dio's Cradle.

* * *

><p>The great bear spirit slowly dissolved leaving the group next to the T-Wing as it touched down on the deserted streets of the city. Carefully they took in their silent surroundings. Speedy glanced around "Where is everybody?" his body as taunt as his bow in that moment.<p>

A loud blast alerted them of where they needed to be. But when they got there it was a bit like Hell on Earth. Blood was the overwhelming component, the streets were drenched with it while the buildings lining the street were splattered with it. Bodies were the next component, and Mas y Menos checked them and bound their wrists as sonic speeds. Almost all of them were alive. Almost.

Looking around it was the who's who of villains, General Immortus lay to the side, his body sporting one wound that would never heal. His head had been bitten off and the wound cauterized. Gizmo, Mammoth, Fang, Killer Moth, Warp, all of them lay to the side with wounds that wouldn't kill them but this fight was beyond them.

Several feet down breathing harshly was the dying form of the dragon Malchior, his chest tore open from claws far to long to belong to any creature of Earth. His rasping breaths signaling the end of his suffering as he rolled onto his belly and opened one eye "Raven…"

Seeing her once hated enemy lain low she felt no fear "Malchior…what have you done?"

With a dry chuckle he grated "Those fools…once they heard that the city was guarded by a single hero they jumped at the chance to kill him…the Green One…his fights are more ruthless than any I've seen before...and there is no such creature on Earth…"

His gasping grew more and more labored until Surt stepped forward "Dragon, do you want to live?" she had been a killer in the past but now that she had the option…

Had it been anyone other than another Child of Fire, had it been anything but the monotone, had it been anything more pitying he would have crushed them between his teeth. Slowly his giant head nodded. Fire enveloped him as his body disappeared, no smoke nor ash, the only thing left was the blood that had pooled on the ground.

Aqualad blinked and lowered the wall of water that he had pulled as a precaution "Where is he?"

The Daughter of the Giant rolled her shoulders "I asked my…father to take him to Gaia. If he's half as powerful as I was told she'll want to keep him alive" her tone of finality challenged anyone to contradict her, the pale Artio nodded and they moved on.

So many that they had fought as a group now lay scattered before the wrath of the insane son of Earth. Adonis, See-More, Dr. Light, Chang. As they got closer to the sounds of fighting it became apparent that even Kikao wasn't able to handle so many. More and more blood held the distinct metallic green sheen that was the boy's.

But when they got to him they couldn't have expected the state he was in.

Both arms shredded beyond recognition by deflection of too many attacks, his uniform destroyed from to many attacks not deflected, his blood was spilled in lakes around him and his green skin was pale, far to pale to be anything but drained. Red lines covered his body, some thinner than a pencil line, others as thick as his forearm. But the most horrific thing was the greatest wound. The man standing to defend his city had the left part of his skull caved in. Though they couldn't see any signs of internal damage the two inch crater was indicator enough that far too much damage had been done.

But he stood, panting and swaying he tried to walk forward to deal with an enemy not his own. Killer Croc, the giant monster of a man leapt forward and flung Kikao into a building. The reptile snarled at the lack of red on his claws, with a raging snarl he screamed "What does it take to kill you?!"

Coughing harshly the Wanderer stood tall for what should be his final moment. Beaten, battered, bloodied, burned, and broken. He felt the ground shake as the creature drew closer and closer. Each heavy step heralding the end. Cyborg's sonic cannon, Surt's fire, Calypso's confusion, Jinx's hexes, Raven's bolts, Aqualad's tidal wave, Speedy's arrows, Bee's stingers, Mas y Menos's charge. None of it mattered. The giant's tough hide kept him from harm as he walked forward to end the one that had managed to hurt him. Beneath his left side two ribs were broken, a small wound but one inflicted on him none the less.

The giant was flung to the side as Kikao closed his eyes. The scream of the gun burned into the empty air for a long moment before Deadpool growled "The Harrison CLS. Pulse rifles, courtesy of Spier Pulsonic Weapons Est. 2143. Thank God for Cable" then loud enough for the enemy to hear he roared "HEY ASSHOLE! YOU TOUCH MY FRIEND AND I'LL KILL YOU!"

Shaking his large reptilian head Croc charged Wade again and again, drew the giant's attention as it was. Cyborg rushed over to the Nightmare Guard leader and ran scans before grabbing Raven's hand and dragging her over "Rae, we have ten minutes to heal some of his wounds before it kills him"

The sorceress stared down at him thinking it through "But-"

"Rae." his big brother tone now hard "This isn't something that we can wait for. I don't care if you hate him. He's dying. If you don't do it he's dead."

Her hands glowed darkly as she spoke "Cy…I don't ha-…it's not like I want him to die."

"Then why?" he ventured as the others helped the merc deal with their opponent.

"I…I pushed him away. I didn't want his affection. I don't want it now. But he kept doing things for me and I don't want to owe him."

Getting close to his breaking point the man turned her head to look at him "Rachel Raven Roth. We spent three years fighting together. If nothing else he wanted to be your friend and he worked his ass off for the past two years even after we tried to kill him to prove that he forgives you. He _wanted _your affections but _needed _to be your friend" a tense nod later she continued to pour power into the man who now lay more helpless than a newborn babe.

* * *

><p>Between Life and Death sits a hall. Two open portals, one for this world and the other for the next. Some beings like Gaia cannot pass from one to the other under their power. They have to be Called, something from the other side pulls them across the gap. Here is where Garfield sat.<p>

Not Beast Boy.

Not Kikao.

Garfield E. Logan. Son of Mark and Marie Logan.

The young man glanced at one shining bright light then the other. In the middle of the hall he could tell no difference. He stood by instinct and Death appeared before him "Hi Death, how'd the date with Wade go?"

She floated closer and rubbed her boney cheek "We went to a Mexican place…he's sweet when he wants to be. But this isn't about me. You have to choose one."

Looking to his right and left he could see no difference "Which one's which?"

Death countered "I can't tell you."

"Then I'm not moving. I don't do anything my instincts don't tell me." he said sitting down on the same bench the he had found himself on.

Death floated a bit higher "What ages were important to you?"

"Does it matter now?" the boney lady nodded "Okay…I was four when my parents died" he mused, eyes deeply in the past "only a few months later I was captured by the two thieves and I was…controlled for two years, then I spent two years alone in the jungle…I was eight when I went to the Doom Patrol and I stayed with them for four years before going to the Titans. Three years…I spent three years with them. At fifteen I was thrown out, two years later I started building the Order, three after that I started the Nightmare Guard and reunited with Raven…now at twenty-two I'm dead."

"It wouldn't be the first time" she pointed out.

"No it wouldn't…but I'd rather not make this a habit."

A lightness spread through his body "What's going on?"

Death stared at him "When you get better…get to Tameran by the Winter Solstice. It's their only chance"

* * *

><p>Gaia sat with the dragon who's wounds were healing more quickly then any earthly magic or medicine could have. Looking into the pool that showed the body he blinked "If what you say is true then why not end everything now and save us the trouble?"<p>

The mother gave the dragon a pained smile "I'm playing the odds. Even I can't see the absolute entirety of the future, my sister can only see the instant of passing from the hall of limbo into death. But she and I are aiming for that tiniest patch of 'what if'"

"If there is no woman that loves him now then there won't be."

Again he was met by a sad smile "I hope that you're wrong. I want so hard for you to be wrong and that he'll find love. But he was burned by it before."

The dragon was grasping at straws "And no child?"

She shook her head "He's not the type to spend a loveless night"

His only response was a very defeated "Can I bet on your odds?"

"Everyone else is"


	3. The Darkness

**I'd like to take this space to thank Broconi and OMG Pterodactyls again, this chapter wouldn't have come out without them **

**This part, however, is something a bit different. Here I would like to recognize the inspirations for this story, I feel not doing so would be unfair to those who do such great works. First would be Akumakami64-most especially "Beast Boy's little secret", writerzero, most especially "Belonging" and "At Odds" and finally LamontCranston1066 for "Love in Shades of Green and Gray" all of them are amazing and this story wouldn't have happened without their marvelous works. Besides my two Betas, listed above, Lunahras also inspired this story. To all of you thank you. And to you as well my dear readers. **

* * *

><p><em>Through the haze of bloodlust and pain he painted everything red, seamlessly it fell and covered everything in perfect crimson, it washed away all his pain as more and more red flowed. It started inside until he could no longer contain it and spilled out across the world. The bubbling laughter of the insane, he could feel it crawling under his skin like so many spiders. His father had told him that true insanity was the imperfect freedom to not know what you were doing. <em>

_He was wrong. _

_True insanity was the perfect restriction for him. The laws he saw stood only in his mind…and changed like fluid. _

_Saw. Saw? Saw…!_

He opened his eyes and awoke alone. As always. But blinking rapidly he became aware of only the heat of the sun on his face. Growing more and more agitated he realized what was wrong. There was no blood. He couldn't smell it, there was no panic, he couldn't hear it.

* * *

><p>Deadpool held in one hand a detonator, the device that would explode he had shoved into a gaping wound on Croc's side before it healed. Seated next to his heart was the equivalent of fifteen pounds of TNT. The Mercenary was in a constant battle. If he pushed it everything would be done. But he wouldn't get the answers he needed. "Okay Waylon. You tell me what I want I don't get to see how far a geyser of your blood can go, understand?"<p>

The black and bruised mutant shook nervously. He could feel it above him, only a few floors right above him. "W-what do you want?"

"Who told you about the Boss?"

"I-I got a call from that really old guy…talked about some war and peace book… I-I don't know" after a moment he twitched "Ca-can we move…I can feel it and it's freaking me out"

* * *

><p><em>Blood rushed in his ears blocking out any sound he should have heard, it clogged his lungs as he could only breath in the liquid as it crushed him, it's iron tang so familiar…so comforting. It was a lovely shade…a voice inside him whispered 'wouldn't the others like to see this pretty color? Why don't we share it with them?" he agreed, he shared his life, his blood, his soul with them, why not the pretty color?<em>

* * *

><p>Everyone but Deadpool and Kikao were sitting behind the glass of the interrogation room, Raven probed the reptile in the room and found his panic overwhelming. His beady eyes constantly twitched up, the only thing above them was-She let out a scream as it engulfed her and rocked her soul to the core. Wade's eyes twitched upward and he sprinted to his boss's room. There was no mistaking that scent. But it wasn't welcome here. Not now, not ever.<p>

* * *

><p><em>He saw heard someone "Do you want to see the pretty color Funny Man?" the man said something dumbly as he shared the color and slit his wrist and smiled as more and more fell "More! More!" he giggled as he continued to spill the lovely paint fall on the floor. He was sad for a moment that he couldn't see it but he brightened, the others would see it! Maybe they would paint with it too! He smelt a nice smell "Lovely Lady, would you like to see my pretty color?"<em>

* * *

><p>Calypso fell to the ground shaking and throwing up everything, her entire body ached and Nightwing leapt away as the acid splattered on the ground, Raven and Deadpool had been terrified and confused and she had keyed in on that as her powers dictated. Then something hijacked the link. Now she couldn't see but she could feel blood so thick she couldn't move, it drowned her as it pulsed through her head so loud that it blocked out everything else and it rushed into her open mouth. To her horror she couldn't get enough, it was too sweet to be anything but perfect and suddenly she craved it. Then fell into the black.<p>

* * *

><p><em>He giggled at the silence "Of course the Lovely Lady would like to see my pretty paints!" he opened more and more tubes and he began to get the giggling highs "Looky! Looky!" He didn't care that he was speaking like a child, it was all too fun. And he was sure the Lovely Lady and her friend would love the color. Then another mind filled his "Little Dove, would you like to see my pretty colors?" when she fell asleep he giggled, she liked it so much she wanted to dream of it! He listened around him. There! More people to share his color with! Oh, he was so excited! More people to see his colors! Then he felt the Lovely Lady's arms around him 'don't go' she told him. He nodded happily "Don't worry, you won't run out! I have plenty to give you!" and more and more of the pretty color he couldn't see flooded the floor around him.<em>

* * *

><p>Cyborg entered the room and picked up the detonator before turning to Croc "What's going on?" he demanded.<p>

"T-the creature's gone mad" one of the few people taller and stronger than him whimpered.

Looking up with concern he whispered "BB…"

Bee heard the words and looked at Surt and Artio "I know you want to see Gar, but stay here and watch your sister…I have a feeling that your dad's a bit of a mess right now" the two girls nodded hesitantly as their friend rushed out the door and up the flights of stairs.

Then a voice caught her "Don't worry, you won't run out! I have plenty to give you!" looking inside she couldn't believe what she saw.

* * *

><p><em>He could smell more people looking at his work! That was three people, the Funny Man, the Lovely Lady and-and the Softly Lady! That's what he'd call her! She spoke so softly if he wasn't him he would have missed it "Softly Lady, are you here to see my pretty colors?" she said something so softly he didn't catch it "So many people want to see my colors!" he giggled before stopping and staring at the newest person. He tried to see past the Softly Lady "What should I call you…. He giggled sporadically as he rubbed his chin "I think I'll call you Ammi!"<em>

_For the first time since he woke up he really heard the voice "Well, My Heart, I'm glad you didn't forget me"_

_Tilting his head quizzically he giggled again "Ammi want to see the pretty colors?" he quickly turned around and scolded himself "Of course she wants to see the color!" and four more spouts opened up as he smiled at the group. _

* * *

><p>Wade had thrown up long ago now he was just a shivering wreck. Raven was the same, even when her mind had briefly merged with her father's there had been nothing this <em>wrong<em>. Beast Boy, Changeling, Kikao. Gone. There was nothing sane left in his mind and his blood was all around them, slowly the dozens of cuts across his body were draining him and he was pale and tilting alarmingly. Gaia opened her arms "Would you like to come with me?"

He giggled madly "Only if my friends come!" and he gave a huge smile and Gaia teleported them to her realm where the damage could be mitigated. But then he stuck out his lips in a pout and his demeanor went from a ten year old to about that of a four year old and his voice shifted to match "They aren't all here" with a insane clapping of his hands he squealed "There they are!" and suddenly, the rest of the Nightmare Guard and Hephaestus's husband was there.

Everyone save the mad man was in shock. Gaia's face paled for a second. He had breeched her realm with ease to pull in five people. Without her consent he had ripped a hole in reality and pulled them through her countless wards.

* * *

><p>Cyborg snarled as the girls disappeared, but at the same time Croc seemed to calm down. Nightwing nodded and started looking for the girls while he continued the interrogation "Okay, start at the beginning and tell us what happened Waylon or I'll see how much electricity it takes to fry that skin of yours a pretty black"<p>

The croc-man put his hands on the table and eyed the detonator with a hint of fear "Batman had put me back in Arkham, when I got a note, that immortal guy said he'd bust me out and I'd get paid it I helped him take out some punk" he snarled before slamming a fist on the table "**HE LIED!**" the beast roared "Said it would be easy. About two weeks ago we started, I snuck up on him and bashed him with a streetlamp…he turned into something I ain't never seen and literally bit the head off the general before starting in on us…I don't know what happened to everybody, we tried taking him out" he shuddered "But we spent more time hiding than anything, maybe we tried a group but he didn't go down even when the midget with the backpack burned through him with a laser he still came on…then you got here" The metallic man knew why the messages he sent were so clipped. Kikao had been fighting for his life while he had been dying. But what he said next was utterly terrifying "I can't get the image of him eating that stretchy bitch outta my head"

In human form he had torn into her and ate, her stomach was spilled and his arms and mouth covered with blood as she screamed, his eyes weren't dead as he ripped her apart. Not even close, there was something there that the beast in Killer Croc wanted nothing to do with. If only he had listened.

Cyborg had been the only one listening, the other having gone out to search, but he stood up and walked out closing the door he chose not to care at the moment.

* * *

><p>Gar gathered everyone in his arms that seemed to stretch to accommodate the group-Raven, Wade, Artio, Surt, Calypso, Hephaestus, her husband, Bumble Bee and Gaia. He stared at them proudly "My family" he grinned.<p>

Gaia and Raven teleported out of his arms and the other took the chance and used the extra space to slip out, Gar looked at them sadly. His family didn't want him. His eyes filled with tears as he sobbed "No leave?"

Raven hesitated "I've got to go"

Deadpool replied "I've got to get my stuff"

Artio took up position of the girls spokesperson "We need to say bye to the Titans"

Bumble Bee shook her head "I've got to get back to my team"

Gaia stayed as a silent observer. Gar sobbed out a pitiful whimper "N-no leave…"

With a growl the daughter of the forge god grabbed him into a rough hug "We ain't goin' nowhere." her husband joined her in the hug and tears ran down the green skin.

"Ammi, Lovely Lady, Softly Lady, Funny Man and Cubs leave…but Warmly Lady and Glowy Man stay." he smiled and lovingly held the duo in his arms.

Artio was confused "We never said we wouldn't be back" but he didn't respond.

Raven felt a roar of anger and guilt. Slowly she sat down feeling faint.

* * *

><p>Nevermore was not a small place, for the eight housed within it was the entire world, within it's confines were several different buildings-each one home to an emotion's primary embodiment, for Knowledge a library, for Happy her field. Raven stepped into this world and looked around to see the giant maze that had grown to take up a near half of the realm. All her emotions, save Timid and Rage, sat around the entrance of the maze with worry written on their faces. Raven walked closer "What's going on?"<p>

Happy just pointed to the stone behemoth in front of them. The gates were closed by a wrought metal barbed gate in the shape of her namesake, to break the silence was the constant rattling of the gates. Whatever could rattle the maze spiked her fear and without warning the doors were thrown from their hinges and across a few hundred feet of the plains before half way burring themselves in the hard packed dirt.

Timid and Rage came out, the former heavily leaning on the latter and both of them injured, it was clear Rage had a broken arm and lacerations all up and down her body while Timid had a broken leg and the way she cradled her free arm to her side broken ribs on top of the bruises and minor wounds.

The dark blue rushed across only to hear Timid snarl, taken back she asked "What happened to you?"

Rage looked up with four red eyes **"You did this to us. You locked us away. Now we're leaving. He offered you peace and we're taking it"**

Raven blinked "What are you talking about? You can't leave Nevermore, that's how it's always been!"

A light green hand wrapped around the three of them and they were slowly lifted away, through the sky and back to the real world.

* * *

><p>Raven jerked up to see herself in Gaia's arm and Timid and Rage leaning against her, seeing the others asleep she turned to the Goddess "What's going on?" her fear overpowering anything she felt before and she caught Timid's form shudder and begin to take deep breaths.<p>

The Great Mother looked at her in a way that she didn't understand, it seemed mostly sad and upset but there was a hint of curiosity and amusement in it as well "You locked away all your fear and anger. You locked them in the maze and slowly battered and starved them, a few more days and they might have died. But before you passed out Gar told you he would offer all of you peace. Rage and Timid seem to think that their peace is away from you."

"But they can't exist away from me!" her anger at Gar was mounting, how dare he shatter her like this! Her other emoticlone started to breath deeply as well, their coma changing into sleep.

"Don't look at him like that" Gaia snapped and the four red eyes turned to two violet ones "He did it because he thought you'd be happier with them out of your body. And for your information they will still be attached to you but they will not be inside you" indeed looking at the two there were faint strings that attached the three.

Glancing once at Garfield her breath caught. She couldn't help it.

Every day since they had first met he never looked so peaceful. His body was still battered and broken but his face was relaxed, his eyes weren't darting around as they had been since she met him, nor was his body moving as it always was during his days on the West coast, and his brow had no wrinkles that he always seemed to have as Kikao. His face was smooth and his body moved only as his chest rose and fell.

He had no worries. Out loud she always said she didn't care. But to see somebody she knew was as haunted as he was, the death of his parents, the death of his kidnappers, the psychotic Doom Patrol and finally the Titan's betrayal…

She almost wondered if bringing back his sanity was a curse rather than a gift.

Gaia watched as the two violet orbs stared at her son, the Great Mother couldn't help but hope things turned out well. Too much had happened "Raven, look at me" her tone defeated, the young woman did as she was told "The other two Primordials, my sister, Death, and the other, Time, haven't decided if they will allow him to live." Raven didn't know what to say, these beings were beyond her scope of understanding "If they feel that he will destroy the universe they may intervene… "

There was an unspoken word-_death_.

They would kill him to maintain what they had.

"I-I can't do anything…"

The few words she got as a reply chilled her, because Gaia _knew_ "Your half-hearted hate poisoning him" Raven stared at the ageless before a hand waved over her face put her to sleep.

* * *

><p>Affection looked out of Raven's eyes to see Timid and Rage sleeping peacefully side by side, turning to Knowledge she asked "Can they survive out there?"<p>

The yellow pushed her glasses up her nose "Unknown. They still have the strings that connect them to Raven…though I do expect there will be some difficulties, but there has never been anything like this before…"

Affection looked down at the mask in her hands with disgust before throwing the cloth down "I don't know if it's worth the few moments Nightwing gives us. She's trying to get rid of Garfield for him"

Brave looked at the purple "Who knows, we may end up with Gar as a friend and with Nightwing on our arm!"

Rude grit her teeth and muttered to herself "There's no way that'll happen. Wing is to much of a player" she wasn't the only one to realize that when Starfire and he weren't together different women would leave the tower almost every morning. Happy stared at Brave before looking at Rude, she wanted Brave to be right but she knew that Rude had a point.

Sloth looked to Raven and could only wonder what the green demigod was dreaming of. And she felt sad in knowing that she would never have that much peace.

* * *

><p>Rage woke up to a green child, maybe a very slim and fit four year old with two sets of eyes and a single vertical one sitting on it's nose looking at her before smiling brightly "Rawr-rawr and Shy-shy awake!" and he giggled rolling on the ground covering his mouth with both hands.<p>

'Rawr-rawr ' blinked her four red eyes that quickly reverted to two violet orbs in confusion. The Grey beside her blushed as the tiny child threw his arms around her waist 'Shy-shy' patted his head gently and he became a giggling mess again.

The red looked around to see the rest of the heroes sleeping peacefully in a small group to the side with Gaia watching over them with an expression that read how much she wanted to toss them into oblivion.

Rage tapped Timid's shoulder and the message was passed, the duo walked to the Goddes and Timid spoke "I-If y-you want we can watch them while you play with G-Gar…" the green goddess gave them a bright smile before hugging both of them and rushing off to have fun with her son.

Watching a mother chase her giggling son across the grass was a beautiful scene.

Shattered by the knowledge that the boy was a broken man and that they made him that way.

Rage suddenly blinked as realization crept in "Gar" she called out to no response again she tried, a different name a dozen times with no more response, she frowned he answered Gaia what did she call him again? "My heart" she tried and the boy rushed over and stared at her, each eye held a faint sheen to it. In the depths of her chest she could feel something tightening "My heart, you can't see can you?"

He cocked his head to the side and nodded. Despair rushed through her at that.

* * *

><p>The Titans and T.E. watched as Superman slowly touched down with a grave look on his face "Forgive me for being late but a series of major accidents have kept the Justice League busy."<p>

Nightwing scowled "Then mind telling us why one of our own _ate_ another human?"

With permission Bee had passed along her knowledge of the situation to the Man of Steel, after all if Kikao went as insane as he believed then no matter who they were, everyone would die. "Technically speaking he isn't 'one of our own' and neither is he human…get everyone and I'll explain what I know"

Sitting in the Main Room of the Nightmare Guard's home Clark began "Very recently I came here to ascertain the goals of the Nightmare Guard. Besides Wade they are not fully human. Each of them has a parent that you and I would call Gods. However Kikao's divine parent is…different"

Speedy blinked "Are you freaking kidding me? Gods and goddesses? Who believes this crap?"

Cyborg stared straight ahead "Raven is the daughter of the inter-dimensional demon known as Trigon, who for a few hours at least, froze the entire world in stone."

Superman continued "And if Raven is right then Scath now serves Garfield in exchange for the fear he can feed him" they went silent. Trigon, who was Raven's greatest fear now worked under who was their weakest member.

Aqualad was the one best equipped to mentally handle things of this nature so he was the one who continued "So if Garfield's parentage is higher then that…who is it?"

"Gaia, the Creator, Mother Goddess, Earth, or any of the billions of names she's made since she willed creation into being"

* * *

><p>Rage knelt willingly. For the first time since her conception she was putting herself in a prone position to wrap her arms around the little insane creature. He didn't giggle but returned the embrace. Timid joined in as well. They could feel it. The insanity surged through him violently and tossed aside everything else.<p>

Gaia stared at the trio before saying "I have to go explain some things to Death and Time, I'll be back shortly" she muttered only for Gar's ears "and the others" but in his current state of mind, no- even if he was sane, those words meant nothing.

Rage nodded "We'll keep him safe" Timid nodded and wrapped her arms even more tightly about the boy's chest. No matter how Raven felt about things Garfield comforted Timid and placated Rage, to both he was invaluable. Nobody else could do it, Nightwing pushed Timid deeper into her maze and forced Raven to restrain Rage which lead to more and more power escaping. Starfire didn't know how to deal with either of them and Cyborg's fear of Rage enflamed her. There was no other option for the two emoticlones then to be near him.

But for the other emotions it was a much different scenarios.

Affection was her namesake towards everyone though the more Raven felt towards that person the more the purple became apparent, so towards Nightwing she was expressed most with the trio of demigod girls being second with Cyborg and Starfire tied with them. Gar was below that. If she was to be quite honest Affection wasn't influenced at all by him so to her he was nothing more than a rock, in the way or not it could never affect her.

Knowledge grew on puzzles and more information, Nightwing was predictable so the first half of her growth never fed off of him but the information always found something to hang onto with him. But with Garfield it was never the same, very rarely did he ever act in a predictable manner but the reasoning for it was never expected, but the information fed oddly, at times it would starve with random gorgings that threatened to break her.

Happy didn't directly thrive off Nightwing or Kikao, but through their links, Nightwing to Starfire and Cyborg, and Kikao to the Nightmare Guard. But for her to have to choose a person she would say Nightwing she would have made it her mission to make him laugh if she was an independent person. But again she was balanced to a stalemate. Brave respected both of them though-she saw what the Titan's leader had done for years, but in argument the Nightmare Guard leader started even earlier with the psychotic Doom Patrol and even after his horrible banishment he continued to be a hero though he would deny otherwise.

Rude and Sloth, the two most ignored and least felt of Raven's emotions were in a battle with Affection. Neither of them liked Nightwing, he couldn't take the sarcasm or rudeness while Kikao enjoyed it, he seemed to use it to propel her into more emotions. Sloth was…different, the Blue never unwound, he was almost always on the clock except for when he was between the sheets, being as she was she could never do that. But Kikao did something that none of the hero community ever expected. He forced her to take time off to do something other then meditate and forced her to go out into the town and see other people and occasionally forced her to sleep in. That little bit of unwinding did wonders for her, she found that she didn't have to meditate quite so much even if her emotions flared.

The balance was held between them but since Raven herself loved Nightwing then it was so.

That is why Rage and Timid wanted out so badly. They didn't want to go against themselves anymore.

That's why they enjoyed sitting with the man-turned-boy who couldn't see but ran anyways. Watching him never shying away from them they caught a glimpse of something the couldn't have named.

As the emotions battled things out amongst themselves Knowledge made a plaque that she hung above the Great Library door

"_Awareness is the enemy of sanity, for once you hear the screaming, it never stops"_

_-Emilie Autumn_

* * *

><p>Time and Death stood beside Gaia watching the people sitting in a room not their own, Time was the only Primordial that took the shape of a man, an middle-aged white man with a combed bushy beard and sharp steel gray eyes that matched his three piece suit…for the moment "I see that these are the ones that worry you?" the confusion in his tone giving away what he thought of them.<p>

"They do not worry me in what they can do, they worry me in what they can say to my son" Death gently held her sister's hand as Creation spoke.

A twitch of movement caught the man's eye "Gaia…why don't you go talk to them, make them understand what is happening? It could give Garfield an advantage." she nodded before teleporting to the kitchen to introduce herself to the mortals. "Now to see what happens here" he said with a faint smile before turning to watch those in Gaia's realm with Death staring intently at the trio.

* * *

><p>Gaia appeared in her human form and alerted them to her presence with the question of "Would you like something to drink?"<p>

They whipped around to see her moving comfortably behind the counter, each of them was in a battle stance until Clark looked at her with a vision that none knew he had. Behind his skin a third eye opened and she tapped her lips with a finger and a grin. He instantly knew who she was and bowed deeply, unsure of what to say he went with the most formal "Greetings Lady Gaia"

She laughed lightly "Good afternoon Clark"

The other heroes slowly relaxed as Starfire asked "Friend Superman, you know her?"

He chuckled "This is our first meeting but if you'd _look_ you'd know who it was" she opened her own eye hidden within herself and gasped quietly before bowing to her as well.

The Goddess giggled "No need to bow…although it would probably be nice to answer my question" a moment later nine glasses sat on the table with a tenth in Gaia's hand.

Speedy looked at her skeptically "Are you really a goddess?" Starfire, Superman and Aqualad looked on with horror at the faux pas.

Earth watched him intently "You don't believe I am" it was a statement rather than a question. As if playing a game she tapped her chin "How to get Roy to believe I am who I am…hmmm. What if I showed you a picture of what could happen if you aim that arrow you have in your hand at me?" indeed he had an arrow in his hand.

He shrugged "Not really, I can chalk that up to sight. And I know that Kikao could have seen me move from miles away"

"What if I…you know what, this game isn't as much fun as I thought it was" and she snapped her fingers, suddenly a vision appeared. _It was a man staring directly at the portal "Roy, if you ever want to hold a bow right you have to take your time…that's it breath…slowly." A thump and a scowl. "No! slow down! There is no rush, you have all he time in…the…world…There!"_

The archer paled. It was his mentor…the first time he pulled off a bull's-eye…some ten years ago…

* * *

><p>Today was a day of firsts. Rage would fear for herself for the first time.<p>

A creature stepped into the realm, six eyes sitting in two rows of three but an otherwise human appearance. His hand extended towards her and just the sense of his power paralyzed her.

A small green body stood before they could touch "No hurt Rawr-rawr and Shy-shy!" he demanded.

The intruder chuckled "Look at the little boy! You seem to be their friend…but you know that's she's Trigon's daughter right? Just let me take her and you won't have to worry about that demon again"

He reached again before the entire natural world roared at him in defiance and anger loud enough that those sleeping thought the world was ending as they jumped to their feet. Beyond the horizon for a moment everyone but the man saw it. A flicker of a being that looked like the God form Gaia had given her son, but different, though at a size to dwarf planets. The man snarled back "Oh, look a two eyed shape shifter trying to play with a six eyed" he smarmed before backhanding Gar hard enough that the thundering crack was meant to kill.

Blood pooled from the boy's mouth and the intruder tried again, this time throwing the morphling thirty feet and grabbing Rage and Timid by their necks. Then the Changing took place.

The groan that stopped every movement wasn't one any mortal could make. Death and Time shuddered at the wretched sounds as his body twisted and mangled itself before the being with twenty-nine eyes and countless arms stood before them once again.

The intruder snarled before leaping at Kikao. This time, however, the results were much different. The Son of Gaia wrapped three hands around the man's throat and stared deeply into the six that had tried to take from him.

Eight eyes in every orb. The irises had fused together forming an eight branched star that now sat in each of the orbs and looking deeper he could see that each one of those splintered off into perfect fractals. Then came the voice they hadn't heard, the voice of their leader proving he was more than any mortal "You will leave what is mine alone. And Scath is no longer of any concern to anyone. I hold his leash as I hold your throat." the intruder disappeared back out of the world.

Then his body twisted back to a man's his left eye filled with blood while his right looked even more like a green gem. Rage stepped forward "Are you okay?" she hissed quietly.

With a soft smile he cupped the side of her face and ran a thumb across her cheek "I am. Thank you Rage."

Timid had rushed up to him as well and quietly asked "Can you see?"

His hand moved the same way "I can. Thank you Timid" Both emotions felt a deep wrenching as the spell he used while insane started to unravel, with a growl he jerked back on the chords and they felt themselves back on the ground, his whisper was caught only by the two "Do not dare try to take the only comforts I have!"

Deadpool watched silently as his commander stood between two aspects of Trigon's only daughter with no fear. A light blue hand touched Kikao's shoulder and he let go of the cords allowing Rage and Timid to float in the air for a moment before returning to Raven. His boss clenched his jaw tightly as he opened a portal silently, a large one-wide enough that everyone could step through at the same time.

* * *

><p>The talk with Gaia took a sudden turn when she shot up with a growl of rage "Death, Time…." and rushed to the side of the room where the group that had been missing appeared as the sun fell. Blood fell to the floor in great pools as Kikao grabbed his left eye with a scream-the immense pressure of the portal had collapsed the already compromised eye. It all happened so fast that nobody knew what to do.<p>

Gaia instantly took charge and snapped out her orders "Cyborg, Raven, take my son to the medical bay, Starfire take the girls outside, the don't need to see what's going to happen next"

Calypso, the least assertive, stepped forward "We're staying with him. We didn't before and that was our mistake, this is our only chance to make it up to him for giving us a second chance" Deadpool and Hephaestus along with her husband nodded.

The Goddess sighed "The rest of you…go to dinner in town, go back home I don't care, just don't come back until I call you." with a livid grumble she added "as if things weren't bad enough"

The Son of Aphrodite and Hephaestus's husband, James, sat down on the couch stiffly "W-why don't we stay here, that way we're out of the way and they can call us if anything happens"

Everyone sat down with no small amount of anxiety.

* * *

><p>Within the Medical Bay Cyborg had sedated Kikao who had been thrashing in absolute pain before examining the man "I dunno what did this…it looks almost like his eye was crushed but there ain't any signs of anything!" the metal man sighed and sat down hard as he ran one hand across his head "I can't do anything"<p>

Gaia walked in at that moment "Thank you for getting him here" she said kindly "Victor, would you mind leaving this to me and Raven" he rushed out sensing the hostility that the women had, his survival instinct kicked in and told him to get out.

The two ladies stared at each other, neither moving until Raven spoke "Why did you want me here?"

"Why else?" Gaia spat causing the other to recoil as if slapped "I wanted to see if you'd help my son. You didn't, even when he was nearly dead you only did it because Victor asked!" the goddess started clenching and unclenching her hands rapidly. It didn't take a empath to know what she wanted to wrap her hands around: Raven's neck. "Do you hate him that much? To want him to suffer every moment from now until his death?"

Raven pulled back again "Of course not! We may not be the closest friends but I don't want him to suffer!"

"Even to me it doesn't seem like that and I know you better than a vast, _vast_ majority of people" came the voice from the door. Bumble Bee hadn't been able to take the silence that surrounded the others so she came here to see what could be done.

Gaia turned and put a hand over Garfield's eye "Such a simple thing to heal"

"Then why didn't he do it?" Raven snapped back.

Karen closed her eyes "Raven, he couldn't. His shift to his god form healed everything but his eye, that means it was beyond him then and I know you saw how much pain he was in…why are you so cold to your friend?"

"Nightwing-"

"Will never look at you the same way as Starfire, get over it. Your crush is an asshole who started this because he felt that Beast Boy was starting to become independent and 'encroach on his territory'. That's why I told my team to stay out of it"

Before their tempers could flare again Gaia whispered "It wasn't supposed to be this way…"

"What?" they asked in unison.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way…Time told me what it was supposed to be, I got angry…but he can't tell the future he just has perfect understanding of the past…" she sat beside her son on the small stool "Raven was supposed to be reasonable and not side with Robin out of a crush and Titans East was supposed to be there. Karen would have stayed out but Aqualad and Speedy would have pointed out all the flaws that Robin threw at them, when the first attack happened Mas y Menos would have taken him to Steel City before things got out of hand where Kid Flash and Jinx would have gotten involved and seeing how bad things were turning would take it up with the Justice League."

Both girls stood ashamed. Their flaws led to this. Then a whimper broke the tense silence. A twitch. Then the man started thrashing as more and more pain spiked in his partially healed eye. At the sound the mechanical man rushed in as Raven, Gaia and Bee held him down, the needle slid into his flesh and the drug kicked in quickly. Cyborg panted "Who knew string bean had that much in 'em."

Bee quickly grabbed the man's hand before pulling him out into the hallway. As the door slid shut Raven turned to Gaia "So my…infatuation with Robin was the start of this?"

The woman before her shook her head "The start of this was long before your time. It started when he was born. Even that wasn't supposed to happen." she imparted with a quiet chuckle "But as they say life will find a way. I guess my husband was just lucky" the goddess toyed with the thin gold band on her finger.

The sorceress blinked "Did you really love him?"

The goddess sighed quietly "Raven…I've never been in love before or since then, and I can say that nobody will ever replace those precious years I had with Mark. That's why I want nothing to go wrong for Death and Wade and if something tries to stop it…whatever that thing is I will annihilate it."

"What do I do?"

The question caught her off guard. "What do you mean?"

"This got out of hand because I love Nightwing. I made a stupid decision. You're The Mother of Us All, what would tell me?"

"As me to you or a Goddess to a Daughter of Trigon?"

"Me to you"

A few sparks of power flashed before Raven got them under control, her emotions were waiting within her with baited breath "From me to you…I despise Nightwing. As Robin he was a smart boy who was a bit strict, yes, but he had his priorities straight. Then he changed…I don't care to know what caused it but he started to see things differently, if you'll remember he was switching between the two when things happened. But I will say that if he doesn't accept you for who you are and build you up then leave him behind. All notions of a relationship…gone."

"Did your husband do that?" a bit of anger built up at the goddess. Saying that was one thing but how did she know if somebody liked her for her? She was brought up believing that every breath she had that didn't kill somebody was a gift.

"Not at first….but he had his own problems."

"Wait, what?" she had been expecting some overly romantic 'boy-meets-girl' not reality.

A corner of her mouth twitched up at the Goth's surprise "Mark had a lot of things wrong with him, first he was very sickly-it seemed he couldn't go a month without being in the hospital. The doctors gave him prescription painkillers that are illegal now for a reason…he got addicted he also took illegal drugs like marijuana to help him deal with the pain. He was shy too, could barely talk to anyone. I had a temper that was…well, it was over the top. I watched him surrender to things and got angry…yelled at him to fight it." she shook her head before looking into the violet orbs "I punched him in the gut and accidentally sent him to the hospital."

Raven couldn't help the comment that slipped out "Let me guess, love at first punch?" the stupidity of the situation was…immense.

"More like guilt. I felt so guilty that I visited him everyday. Then when he got back to school I helped him get from class to class. He was so weak that my outburst seemed to drain him so I held back more and more until I eventually gave up my temper." it was another moment of silence as Gaia continued to remember her human life "That was our junior year of high school. I started trying everything I could to help him get better, we tried being out acupuncture, hypnotherapy, we tried pretty much everything. Then we tried just sitting in the forests. I…guess I had just enough power there to help heal him. From then on we were inseparable."

Raven didn't know what to say and left without a word.

* * *

><p>Bee pulled Cyborg into the hall an they watched each other for a moment. He scratched the back of his head "I guess I owe you an apology…"<p>

She shook her head "Nah…the entire thing was a bad decision for both of us."

"Then why'd you yank me out of there like that?" he wasn't angry, thankfully, but curious.

The lady hero thought over telling him what she knew. It wasn't a decision she made lightly "You won't breath a word of this to anyone" he nodded at the order "When Kikao took us to Gaia's place the first time she told us that there were two ways Gar was going to stay sane, one is if he got into a serious relationship and the other is if he has kids of his own…and that he was soft on Raven…enough that he would love to have a serious relationship with her"

"Even I knew that" the metal man interjected.

"But her think with Nightwing is…bad"

"Huh?" for having the brains to build a supercomputer hundreds of years ahead of anything else sometimes the man displayed a wonderful lack of knowledge.

"For some reason Raven thinks that doing anything with another guy is going to offend Nightwing, she won't even heal Gar without that thought running through her head" she paused "This isn't the place to be talking about this…" she led the metal man to the room she had used before sitting down and continuing with the story. It was time he knew everything.

* * *

><p>He knew it was a dream. In his bones he could tell, deep in his marrow he knew this was just a cruel trick. But <em>damn<em> did he wish it was. A little girl giggled as she ran around his legs. _His_ little girl giggled as she ran around his legs. Scooping up the light green elfin girl he tossed her into the air before catching her. Malaika. Angel. He kissed her cheek as pudgy little arms wrapped around his neck and she nuzzled into his cheek. A squeal came from the kitchen of the Nightmare Guard home and the little girl and her dad rolled their eyes to walk in and see a stick think little boy being tickled by gray hands. Behind the scrunched gray eyelids of the boy of the boy he knew he would see the emerald eyes, just as the little girl had violet ones.

But just as he stretched a hand out to touch Raven it all faded to black and beside him was Death who looked at where the woman had been seconds before "Dreams from Beyond are always…hard"

"This is from the Beyond?"

The pale tattooed woman nodded "Dreams that show our most desperate desire. Yours was beautiful…."

"Why do you have that look?" indeed the Lady had a sour expression.

"The Dreams are the heralds of the Visions, bits of the future that are set in stone. Some say a gift, others a curse. I came here to warn you. That's all I can do" and the woman he called family disappeared.

* * *

><p>Kikao shot up with a scream of fear before curling in on himself and whispering frantically the prophecy given to him<p>

_Wings of fire, tongues of black _

_Wings of fire, tongues of black_

_Wings of fire, tongues of black_

His hands covered his ears as he whimpered. All those voices, harsh voices from Beyond…"What happened to you?"

Below his shirt, below his skin, his spine grew jagged half inch serrated barbs. It was the voice he loathed the most "Hello Nightwing. What are you doing here?"

The blue and black hissed "I'm asking the questions here"

"You are in my home, in my room no less watching me sleep. I fail to see how you have the right to question me"

"You disappeared and took one of my members with you, I fail to see how I don't!" Nightwing snarled harshly "And the only excuse I can get out of any of them is that you went insane, that isn't good enough!"

The demigod stared at the mortal for a long moment "I woke up yesterday blind and believing that blood was the perfect paint, I woke up later that day to the idea that destroying all sentient life in this universe would be a good thing, which I still can't disprove. I wake up now from Death telling me I had the most horrifying vision of what is supposedly the true future, something I can't escape."

"That's not good enough! Answer my question!"

The changeling looked at the man with no fear "Why should I? You hold nothing over me."

The man growled "I'm pretty sure I could beat it out of you!"

The other said nothing but stood to his full height a few inches above the other and held out a hand, slowly it changed. a three toed sloth's long talons with the sharpness of a molecular blade. The tension rose as Nightwing growled louder and louder as his opponent did nothing.

Then she appeared.

Raven appeared in their midst and shoved the still healing Kikao back onto the bed before grabbing Nightwing and warping out. Rage was livid and screaming about how she would attack the injured man in order to protect his assailant. They appeared in the living room and Raven forced Nightwing to sit with the rest of both the Titans and Titan's East. The Guard stood around the outside of the room, their intuitions picking up something that made then angry, something that told them what happened in that room. Calypso clenched her fist and the mist veil that shaded her eyes flickered silver sharply-like the edge of a blade, Surt's eyes started to glow, Hephaestus and her husband stood straighter with a coarse glare and Deadpool's fingers twitched towards the holsters that, at the moment, held his shotguns. But at the moment the scariest was the eldest girl, Artio growled deeply in her chest and it reverberated around the room and caused a deep rumble to be felt in everybody else. The door slid open and Bee and Cyborg entered only to wonder if they should have stayed out.

Calypso hissed "Why don't you take a seat?" even as young as she was there was no going against that tone. One she learned from her Father. Nightwing was getting more and more agitated. In his mind Beast Boy was becoming an upstart trying to become the big man. Starfire's hand on his arm did nothing to calm him as the door opened again.

Kikao came out dressed in his full uniform, and his gaze covered everyone in the room before he nodded and the Nightmare Guard relaxed and fell in close to him. All of them, save Raven, were with him, unlike last time he had somebody to rely on when it came to Nightwing. Raven stayed seated next to Nightwing, but when she opened her mouth to speak Kikao held up a hand to stop her. Raven, Bumble Bee and everyone else in the room could feel his anger, not only were the veins across his temple standing out but his entire body radiated it. His words, however, were calm and emotionless "I am going to address Nightwing now, and if anybody has something to say shut the hell up and wait. Are we clear?" everyone in front of him nodded, the Guard behind him stood at attention waiting for an outbreak of violence. Two emerald eyes glared painfully at the masked hero "Nightwing, if you threaten me like that again in my house I will eat you, bite by bite while you writhe on the ground in utter agony. I will prolong your life as long as I can so every second of your exquisite suffering will last an eternity."

Surprisingly it was Speedy who came to the Titan's leader's defense. Or rather who's curiosity got the better of him and he asked what was on everybody's mind "Wouldn't the Justice League try to stop you? Or at least do something back?"

"I reside out of the Justice League's jurisdiction. For them to interfere with anything I do would be like Azar telling a jackal how to live. They deal with whatever crimes they deem worthy of their time while I'm busy trying to help demigods and keep the entire universe from falling into oblivion"

Nightwing's irritation reached it's zenith and he snarled "So what? You're the big man now? Huh? Is that it?!"

The room was fatally silent. There they had it. Nightwing and Kikao. "It was never my ambition to do more than protect who I cared for, Nightwing. Never. You misplace your ambitions onto me because you can't accept that I want nothing more than a family. I don't care to be the top frog in the well. I don't. Even all my irritation at you during training all those years ago was nothing close to anger at the level difference between us. Now I don't even have the will to be irritated at that."

To everyone it was surreal. Garfield Logan was being the mature one in this situation while Nightwing was being the childish one.

* * *

><p>It took Raven a long time to come to the realization that something within her had changed. It started when she met Nightwing again, it grew stronger at every incident where she pushed Kikao away or injured him. The peak was when Gaia pointed out her hate and now when she saw the difference between the two men, ambition against protection. It was the entirety of existence made in a microcosm, one wanted the fame and worship that being the best assured him and trained everyday so that he could achieve that, the other trained so that when his time came those he taught would be best equipped to move on in the world and to allow him to fade into obscurity.<p>

Then came the question that Rage had asked "Why did you change how you acted towards Gar?"

She had thought about it for a long time, but now, in the silence between the men she had her answer. When she had seen Nightwing again she wanted to get closer so she pushed him away, Nightwing hated him so she aced harshly towards the green man. Her own affections had blinded her to her duty and her friendship with the Nightmare Guard and the Order of the Fallen Graces, the idea of growing close to Nightwing and possible becoming more than a friend had blocked out all her rational. But now it was back and deep within her stomach, she felt the emotions that had stood against Nightwing surge up.

* * *

><p>There wasn't anybody who could break the silence, if Starfire had it would have hurt Nightwing, if Cyborg had it would have seemed to undermine the Titan's leader, Raven was stuck in her own internal turmoil. The Guard could only support Kikao and Titans East felt like any say they had was out of place.<p>

Kikao had said his peace. It seemed the only one who could speak would be Nightwing himself. The student of Batman snarled and lashed out with a birdarange. His target didn't move as the metal cut deep into the jade flesh of his arm.

The breath at the attacker's back stopped him from any more movements. And the voice of the woman with a skull tattooed on her face shook his bones "Why did you do that little mortal? If that hadn't healed you would find yourself in a very long dark hallway…" the chill in Death's voice caused those who didn't know her to recoil at what lay beyond her.

The voice that held her back was very tired "Death, just let him go. Weren't you the one who told me that the visions were absolute?" the specter nodded "I saw him there." her hands let go of Nightwing's throat as she hovered past her nephew who granted her a tired smile, hidden mostly by the mask, as she settled beside Wade.

The primordial snapped once and the entire scenery changed, from the interior of the room to night in the desert, the only end of the sand swept land was a bright light in the distance. Starfire leaped up and down in joy before Death spoke "Since all of you are needed here for the preservation of this universe…welcome to Tamaran, principal home of those who worship the four eyed X'hal"

* * *

><p>The Citadel City was almost empty, few people buzzed about here and there, probably trying to stay away from the dust they let off like a stench. After they had been unceremoniously dropped off they walked through the night, the day and had arrived near sunset.<p>

Now as they approached the throne room there was an air of fevered activity. Kikao opened the doors and the scene exploded into violence.

Tamaraneans leapt to attack those who barged into their Grand Ruler's home. But the assault was quickly brought to a halt. Starfire was the only one of the 'intruders' who didn't have at least one enemy in a prone position. Nightwing had one pinned on his stomach with his bo angled across the back of his opponent's neck, Raven had three in a dark claw and Cyborg was standing over his opponent who lay on her back with his cannon thrumming with power.

Mas Y Menos had grabbed their attacker and slammed her into a wall knocking her unconscious immediately, Speedy had an explosive arrow pointblank at the back of one of the assailant's head while Aqualad had a water straight jacket around on orange enemy just up to under the nose, a centimeter higher and life would be nonexistent. Bumble Bee's razor sharp stinger blade was pressed to the base of another warrior's spine.

But nothing could compare to the brutality that the Nightmare Guard used to force their opponents into submission. Deadpool had one knee on a Tamaranean's back with a pulse rifle pointed at her head, in the other hand was a sword held blade side to him with a male Tamaranean's throat in immanent danger. Calypso had three in the grasp of her spell and they lay on the floor moaning and crying out at phantom pains. Artio had the ghostly short faced bear pinning two down with six inch claws while she herself held one by the neck with her free hand coated in the starry sky with claws. Surt grinned wickedly, these aliens were supposed to be able to fly into the sun with no ill effect but now their skin was chapped and starting to burn as sweat poured down them as she continued to bring her flaming hand closer and closer.

Kikao ignored them and walked to the seated giant. He would have continued his trek but a spear at his neck halted him. Turning his head lazily the son of Gaia let four more eyes on that side appear "Put that toy down"

The solider snarled "This toy could cut your throat from your body in a second!"

His 'captive' disappeared and he felt something hover over him, when he looked over his shoulder he quickly wished he didn't. The Beast stood over him, at near eleven feet tall and weighing close to a ton it stared down at him with nine eyes that seemed to bore into his soul. He dropped his spear and the man turned back and suddenly the floating aliens were forced to the ground as gravity seemed to multiply thousands of times.

Galfore held up a hand to stall any more attacks on these superior opponents before he leveled a glare on the multi eyed monstrosity before him "What are you doing here? Who are you?"

Kikao allowed gravity to stabilize "I am here because my aunt, Death, does not wish to deal with you. Therefore you are needed to live."

Starfire stepped forward "K'norfka…please forgive-EEP!" she squealed as he picked her up in a bear hug and shook her.

After laughing heartily and setting the girl down he looked them over and introductions were made and the hostages released. But he got to Kikao "I remember a green man…" he hesitated.

"That was me. Blame this new…harshness on time"

The giant smiled "Let's get you some rest, all of you. From the smell I'd judge a long walk too!" most of them burst out in laughter. Kikao didn't. He knew what was coming.

* * *

><p>"Enter" was all the shape shifter said at the knock, from their familiar scents he knew who to expect…though it was a bit surprising "Hello Galfore…Blackfire"<p>

The Royal Commander of the Fleet smirked lazily "Hello Beast Boy"

"Do not call me that or I will eat you" two more eyes flashed on one side of his face in anger and promise.

The Grand Ruler tilted his head to the chairs across the room from where the green man sat, who nodded back. Both of them remembered a green joker and the former caretaker of the royal family voiced it "You used to be so happy…I know it is not my place to ask but what happened?"

Gaia appeared only to her son "I know you don't want to think about it…but if you don't then it may drive you back _there_…"

The young man grit his teeth "What I tell you stays between us. I don't want **anyone** else to know of this conversation"

Blackfire nodded "You have my word"

"And mine as well" echoed her king.

"Not good enough" he pointed to the man "Swear by X'hal" and to her "Swear on scar you wear" she put a hand beneath her right breast and stared at him.

"How did you know?"

"Scar tissue has a unique smell, the hint of necrosis can never go away" he rolled up a sleeve and both warriors hissed at the markings "That is why I always smell like a graveyard with the plague"

They both swore by their respective allegiances. Kikao opened his mouth when another knock happened, this one frantic and it slid open after only a second.

But this was no Tamaranean. It was human in shape but it had black skin and scales around it's joints, it had no visible mouth and it's eyes were reversed from a human standpoint and brilliant blue. It leapt forward with a screech from it's formerly invisible mouth, the chin opened up vertically, from it's nose to the base of it's clavicle was one giant fanged mouth. The creature leapt at the Grand Ruler only to be caught in mid air by the Beast's long arm before he transformed back into a human and stared at the flailing creature.

"I take it these are what will be attacking you soon?"

Blackfire nodded "This is an assassin sent ahead…they should be here in a week…maybe two if we're luck" she stared at it in horror as it pulled a hidden knife and buried it up to the hilt in Kikao's shoulder. The target squeezed his hand tighter around the creatures neck while the other removed the knife and returned the favor, albeit in the leg, before breaking off the hilt and tossing the useless part aside.

"You'll want to look away for this" the morphling warned. But they didn't. the claws around the creature tightened and a loud crack echoed forth. The creature fell limp with glazed eyes. The souls was gone but the flesh remained for only a few moments. Kikao lifted his head back and to the side and opened his jaws beyond the limits of human bone and slammed his head into the stomach piercing the cavity and covering himself with blood. Quickly he started taking hulking bites of the still warm flesh much like a tiger, one after another as hot blood pooled around his crouched form. Soon another stench filled the room. Bile. Gastric fluid. And both Tamaraneans fought to hold back their own meals as with a swift strike the creature gained access to the brain cavity. Soon after that he was done and the only evidence of the grizzly meal was blood, those few drops on the floor and that which dyed the gourmet's hide, and the multitude of foul smells that eclipsed every other stench in the room.


End file.
